Final Fantasy XIII: Dawnwind
by YaoiSongstress07
Summary: Post XIII. Serah has been seized by the forces of Hell, and it's up to Snow to rescue her! However, his journey is far from simple. His heart's clouded, and a demon hunter's up against the gales of fate! Will love untangle itself?
1. Dawn's Break

Thank you for joining me on this grand journey! Welcome, one and all, to what I call 'my alternative tale to Final Fantasy XIII'! My baby sister and I have rented the latest Final Fantasy installment, but neither of us are thrilled with the cast of protagonists. Lightning needs to be dragged to the bottom of the ocean, and I'm not fond of the treatment a certain party member has to suffer from. Thus, the creation of this alternative XIII.

Thank you for your support. Please check your tolerance of boy/boy couples and fluff at the door. If both of those are in check, you're free to continue down the path you have chosen! Also check your Snow tolerance level, mateys!

The locations featured in this tale are figments of my imagination.

Disclaimer: I own nuttin' havin' to do with Snow, Devil May Cry, or anything else. Just this purty summary. XD

**WARNING: THIS CONTAINS BOY/BOY COUPLES, FLUFF AND AN ABUNDANCE OF SNOW LOVE. THIS ALSO FEATURES LIGHTNING BASHING.**

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K'Cialth's wealth spread out far and wide, encompassing a vast region. Lush trees, raging rivers and the portraits of life were given to all, accompanying each and every being that wished for peace. The skies were radiant reflections of emotion, capturing the resonant stream of every mortal's soul. Flocks soared through those very same skies, rushing towards an invincible eternity. The silvery blue luminosity of K'Cialth was hospitable towards those in need of restoration, tranquility and rapture.

The city was suited for those that wished to discover. Explorers could easily satisfy their appetites for new treasures, for nature's treasures littered the grounds of K'Cialth. The moist, dewy ground held small shards of glittering jewels. Melodies gently brushed against the leaves of emerald green trees, and the blue cascades of K'Cialth invigorated weary souls. Chocobos were feathers on the wind, either transporting beloved riders or soaring through life on their own. Families, lovers and lone adventurers were exploring Heaven's grounds, taking in the rich scent of dew.

Establishments had been built inside of K'Cialth, but none of them dampened the land's natural magic. They were painstakingly crafted by those that respected the land's resources. Only a handful of establishments were sprinkled across the land, accompanied by the humble homes. Inhabitants and visitors alike cherished the land of K'Cialth, taking great pride in the land's services and wealth. Individuals from all walks of life visited the rich lands, including a handful of intimately close rascals.

One of K'Cialth's buildings happened to be a lush hotel, a place that offered simple yet wondrously beautiful accomodations for all visitors. The palace was built with the intent of sharing natural magic with the world, and its creators succeeded in doing so. The hotel's lobby, rooms and banquet room were all portals to the land's pristine innocence, complete with fragrant emerald trees and glittering waters. The morning had barely crept out of its bed, though, and so a certain handful of customers occupied their room.

Two of those souls were standing on their designated balcony, overlooking jade green fields and rivers. Both of them were of similiar girth, bulky stallions that could easily crush a barricade of boulders. One stallion was gravely worried over something, while the other stallion, who was much calmer in nature, had every intention of comforting him.

"At this point, thinking of her hurts. She's out there, waiting on me, but...she's in so much pain. Every minute I spend without her is a dagger to my heart, especially since I know she's suffering!"

While the calmer stallion had every intention of providing comfort, his mind was occupied with a separate matter. His eyes, normally alive with magic, were distant. They were drenched in the waters of distress, but for the other's sake, he kept his inner dismay concealed from view.

For the most part.

He was a beautiful thing, sweet in nature and ravishing on the inside. Of course he wasn't a slender flower, but his hulking physique was an integral part of his portrait. His existence. His melody. Drenched in sorrow, he could do nothing but allow his blue eyes to wander through pain. Remorse. Guilt.

"If only I had been there for her! If only I had done something for her! If I had played my part, she wouldn't be in this mess!"

The other stallion said nothing, betraying his normal demeanor. Prior to daybreak he would have pulled every card to comfort the other, but sadly found himself empty-handed. He wasn't his usual self, bearing the face of a saddened, disheartened princess. "We've got everything under control," he said after a moment of intolerable silence, earning a fatally sweet look from the other. Inwardly he cursed himself for surviving the sugary-sweet expression of hope.

"Don't worry about a thing, Snowpea. We're half way there!"

The stallion named Snow was almost breathless from anticipation, and would die if he received a poor answer. "We are? Are you sure?"

"Course we are, angelface. Once we're ready to move out, we'll head on over to Mana'kil. One of my brother's friends set up camp there, and should be able to provide us with some answers. We'll have to pull him out of a crowd, but...you know. Someone that ugly shouldn't be too difficult to find."

Whenever Snow smiled, the heavens split and poured down their light. The stallion named Dante caught wind of his smiles and experienced simultaneous reactions. His heart skipped a thousand beats, but at the same time, daggers drove themselves deeper into his soul. Snow's latest smile didn't lighten the amount of daggers to his already weakened soul. "A friend of mine told me something," the white-haired demon hunter said, purposefully averting his eyes from the blonde stallion.

"Happened during my little field trip. He told me how the members of the Eighth Gate have awakened, and will stop at nothing to gain control over our pretty mortal realm."

"The Eighth Gate?" the leader of Team Nora asked, painting a flawless depiction of fear upon his face. "Wait a minute. From what you told me, we've only got three gates to go before-"

Dante, with a sigh, placed his back against the balcony's rail. "Yep, sweetie, you've got it. Doomsday. Or so the story says. You know, my father wasn't the best storyteller, being the Commander-in-Chief of the demon realm."

"Yeah, well, we're in the middle of your father's bedtime story," Snow said, stern yet gentle. He couldn't have projected venom if his life depended on it, unless he had to project it at an opposing force. "From what I remember, the gates symbolize rise in power. As we edge closer to the Eleventh Gate, the demons rise in power-and the world edges closer to destruction. If we're going to have any chance at saving Serah, or our homes, then we've got to move fast."

The soft stallion's words were true-painfully true. If their little band didn't make enough progress, in a suitable amount of time, everything would be lost. The life of Snow's precious Serah would go up in flames, all of Hell would literally break loose on Earth, and...and...

Birds. They were there, high in the silvery blue sky. He found himself smiling, wishing he could live amongst them. They were beautiful, divine beings of rapturous color. Alive and free they were, detached from the burdensome troubles of a mortal life. They had nothing to worry over. They had the gift of life, while he-

"Dante?"

He turned to face Snow, the untouchable painter of emotion. The blonde's face was a canvas of distress, clearly conveying his worry for the demon hunter's condition. He had been acting oddly all day, strangely detached from the team, and even from his trainee Nero. Something was wrong, and Snow knew it.

"Everything okay? You've been pretty quiet."

For a brief moment, the greatest pain flashed on Dante's face. He kept his eyes from Snow's, reflecting on everything that burned inside. A fretful Snow studied him, helplessly in search of a solution. "Something happened back at home, didn't it?" the captain of Team Nora asked, always gentle. Always kind. He grasped at Dante's hand, but-

Dante wrenched it away. Instinctively.

"Nothing much. Just had a rotten party, that's all. And it was a long night."

Snow's face was brilliantly beautiful, perfectly complimented by the emerging Aurorabursts. Aurorabursts were elegant, vibrant creatures, akin to the fluffy dandelion flowers one blew in pursuit of wishes. They emerged with the dawn, bringing something to light. Team Nora's captain might have been named 'Snow', but 'Dawn' would have been just as suitable. If not 'Daybreak'.

"You can talk to me. Let me know what's going on."

It was an option. He could reveal everything to Snow, and have it all out in the open. He could warn Snow, and have him flee. He could deal with everything on his own. He could-

"Hey there."

"Ah," the demon hunter said, even brighter than the unborn sun. He was a coach, and the newcomer to his conversation was a much-needed player for the field. "Lebby! What brings you by? Something wrong with breakfast?"

Lebreau, hands on her hips, took the opportunity to answer with a smile. As rays of orange and gold split through the sky, she shared her smile with those she held dear. "Gadot stole Nero's food," she said, without the slightest bit of concern-or enthusiasm. Her absence of concern was replaced by an abundance of affection, though.

"The two are at each other's throats. Better stop 'em, Snow."

"Wha? Isn't there more on the table?"

If there was one thing Snow took pride in, it was his cooking. He was a self-taught chef, and made every dish with love. Hearing the enjoyment of his customers brought smiles to his face, and a certain demon hunter could bear to look at him. "I thought I made enough for everybody," the blonde stallion said forlornly, looking very much like a deer in headlights. Lebreau exchanged a smile with a wounded demon hunter, and chuckled.

"Apparently not. You'd better get in there, or else we'll be down two players."

She tossed her head, and returned to their inner chambers. After sharing a shrug, her chosen saviors followed suit. Dante inwardly thanked both Lebreau and Nero for the interruption, even as he stepped inside a world of chaos.

It was a beautiful, radiant picture. Fragile beams of sunshine had broken into their eating area, bestowing a rich, healthy glow upon everything. Gadot, self-assigned to the role of referee, chased his opponent around the breakfast table. Two voices were clamoring for the greatest power, with the voice of Dante's trainee being the loudest. Observing Nero's latest tantrum with folded arms, Snow laughed.

"Well well well. Looks like everyone enjoyed breakfast! I'm glad."

Dante cast him a glance, face immersed in a world of pain. "I'm glad we got to it before those morons did," the demon hunter said, masking his inner turmoil. "If we had left it all to them, we would have been fresh out of luck!"

A smiling Lebreau opened her mouth to respond, but found herself beaten by Snow. He seemed to be mentally occupied with something, but was peaceful. "You know," her captain said, eyeing the incensed Nero. "He reminds me of someone."

"Who?" the maiden asked, turning to her commander. Meanwhile, Dante returned his eyes to cascades of newborn sunshine. "Nero?"

Snow could have earned a million dollars for each of his smile. "Yeah. He's just different," he explained warmly, eyes twinkling. "They're the same, but at the same time, he isn't like her at all."

"It's amazing how long you put up with her," Lebreau said, eyes capturing the morning's magic. "From what I've heard, I'd go with Nero any day instead of her."

"What can I do?" the blonde stallion said, with another shrug. "She's Serah's sister!"

As Nero and Snow's childhood friend continued to pummel each other, Lebreau and Team Nora's commander entered their world of sunshine. The Villiers patted a silent demon hunter on the back, then made his ascent into a rather warm realm. Dante, returning to his previous world of storm clouds, remained on the balcony.

He turned to the heavens, trying to ignore the laughter that brewed within. His eyes begged for assistance, but received none. "None of you are going to help me, are you?" he said with his own shrug, then turned his back on the outside world.

He entered a kingdom of laughter, but felt very much detached from the joy he held so dear.

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This was composed to 'The Vestige', a song from the unbeatable Final Fantasy XIII soundtrack.

Cast of characters: Dante (DMC4), Nero (DMC4), Snow, Team Nora, Serah, and others I shall not name yet. XD

Thank you for following this tale!


	2. Promised Eternity

Hello, dearies, and welcome to the second chapter of 'Dawnwind'! If you're going to tread into this tale, take notice of a few things: _**don't tread any further if you're allergic to boy/boy couples, fluff or Snow love.**_

These notes are being written after the end of this chapter's creation. Time it took to complete this chapter: six hours. XD

Sit back, relax and ENJOY! Thank you for reading!

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He was the one that flipped through pages of punk rockers, gothic groups and tattoos. He was the silent, unpredictable type that sprang into action whenever it called him. He was the type that could be found at the bookstore, back facing a rack and hands holding a rocker magazine. Headphones frequently paid visits to his ears, pouring forth music of the highest frequency.

He was Nero, a novice demon hunter and distant relative of Dante. While Snow was the designated leader of Team Nora, he unwittingly led the entire team on several occassions. Not a single complaint was given to the way he operated, for the entire team felt incredibly close to him. He was blunt but immeasurably kind; rough but incredibly loyal. His refusal to speak of the past made him an enigma, but an enchanting enigma. Dante occassionally prodded at his past, even mentioning the pronouns 'she' and 'her'. Whenever he did so, the older demon hunter instantly earned the darkest gazes. Sadly, those gazes were always accompanied by the heaviest of pain.

Snow's comparison between Nero and his 'sister' wasn't the least bit ridiculous. A certain part of the blonde's life was no different from a bloodsucking, fatal growth on one's limb. She and Nero shared similiar tempers, but their hearts were wildly different. The young demon hunter, whom Dante had taken under his wing, was currently expressing the similarities he shared with Snow's 'sibling'. He was at the head of the group, none too enchanted with the idea of sight-seeing.

While K'Cialth had been a glorious paradise, Mana'kil was a wasteland littered with an uncomfortable level of tension. Its citizens, who were catlike beings of blue skin, seemed intent on keeping to themselves. While they were friendly enough, the mere thought of speaking to outsiders troubled them. They were antsy creatures, prone to stammering whenever encountered by those from the outside world. Several Mana'kilians took an instant shine to Dante and Snow, but Nero always managed to break the established level of comfort. Dante's pupil wasn't the most patient apple around.

At least he managed to uncover information.

The team sought Mana'kil in order to unearth information on the Eleventh Gates, and perhaps the newly established Order of Gibraltar. The Order was on a roll, terrorizing cities while spreading their hopes for 'evolution'. The pillar of the Order was responsible for the capture of Snow's friend, Serah Farron.

Snow's companions wouldn't back down until the young woman was safe and sound, but there was a little glitch in the details of their rescue mission.

Dante knew of the glitch all too well.

The older demon hunter trailed behind, allowing Nero to perform the meat of the work. Luckily, the young demon hunter had enough patience to work with Mana'kil's people. The normally talkative Dante spoke only when spoken to, and even then his usual spirit failed to shine through. His roguish charm had vanished, leaving behind weak attempts at playful mischief. Lebreau expressed her concern several times, and Yuge rarely left his side, but nothing was resolved.

Snow eyed him from time to time, melting his soul with ephemeral looks of lost days. Dante always threw him quick smiles, but those were merely band-aids.

The band-aids, however, didn't bother Snow one bit. They seemed to be successful.

They were before a gate, cloaked in only the light of ancient hieroglyphics. A lake bubbled behind them, observing them as they pondered their next steps. The mayor of Mana'kil gave them passage to a gateway, a realm protected by the spirits of Mana'kil's sovereigns. Opening the gateway reveal a great deal of secrets and stories.

Unfortunately, none of them knew how to open it.

"Don't tell me we should have brought the mayor along," Gadot said, throwing up his arms. Snow's oldest friend began to pace around the band. "Sheesh! We would have had an easier time marrying Nero off!"

As the novice threw Gadot a fatal glare, Lebreau folded her arms. "Might wanna take that back, pal," she said. "We'll figure this out. No one in their right mind would marry Nero, even if he happened to be the last guy around."

"The mayor said one of us had a connection to Shini'sles," Maqui put in, eyes darting from one friend to another. "He said that one of us held the secrets to Mana'kil's past, present and future!"

Yuge, eyeing a certain demon hunter, "If I remember, Shini'sles is the Mana'kilian word for 'memories'," he said, and believed his voice to be rather small in the midst of a gateway. He clasped his hands together. "That's connected to what Maqui brought up."

Snow stepped forward. "So, instead of pulling out magic tricks, we should pull more effective cards. We need to figure out which one of us would possibly have some sort of connection to this place."

The disgruntled Nero turned to face Dante, and resigned himself to the sight of Dante's back. Other sets of eyes followed suit, all of them apprehensive. "Shini'sles is a world confined by pain," the young hunter said, reciting a tale. "The memories of Shini'sles are all of pain, lost dreams and anguish. Those that reside in Shini'sles are broken, bound by pain, and lost in spirit forever."

"Anyone connected to Shini'sles is connected to eternal remorse," Dante said, following his pupil's words while gazing Heavenward. "Those trapped in that world are bound to fall, and don't have a prayer."

Snow opened his mouth, but his words died off in an instant. The sight of Dante's hand, which had adopted a gentle blue glow, crushed the words he wished to say. Yuge stepped forth, face awash in concern, but Lebreau and Nero intervened. All eyes were on the master hunter as he approached the gateway, blue hand at the ready.

The Villiers stepped forward in an attempt to reach him, speaking something that resembled his name. Gadot held him back as Yuge and Maqui shared a wide eyed glance, both faces expressing a heavy amount of concern. Without a word he pressed onward, raising his hand to meet emblems upon the gateway door. Blue light swelled around him, and was emitted from the palm of his hand. Blue radiance melted into the door's emblems, and the door promptly opened for Shini'sles newest visitors.

Each member of Team Nora exchanged glances, in awe of what stood before them. Nero eyed Dante, who purposefully kept his eyes on the road ahead. The road ahead was paved with blue crystal, and so were the walls. The master hunter's heart sank as he studied the walls, recognizing what slept behind them. The newly born emblem on his hand put forth a frail glow-

"Hey!"

A hand forced him to turn around. His eyes met Snow's eyes in a flash. "How are you connected to this place?" the gentle stallion asked, his voice only high from the intensity of disbelief. "What's going on, Dante?"

"Nothing much," was the master hunter's response. As soon as it escaped him, he realized that was the same response he had given Snow a short while ago.

Perfect give-away.

"My career takes me places, angelface. I've got places to see, people to meet, and my clients aren't exactly the happiest peaches around."

He said not another word, eyes locked on the road. While Gadot provided Snow with a look of concern, Yuge looked to Nero for answers. The novice hunter kept his eyes on Dante, who seemed to be comfortable with the interior of the crystal kingdom. Wearing the usual look, Nero followed his superior.

Not another word was spoken for a painful age. Snow was on unstable ground, unable to take his mind or eyes off Dante. As if Dante could sense the blonde stallion's thoughts, he cut through the silence with a knife. "The wielder of a thousand memories not only nullify the Ninth Gate, but subdue the forces behind Serah's capture," he said, speaking as if he were performing some sort of sermon. Lebreau, completely disgusted by the level of tension, took the baton.

"How do know when we've found this wielder?"

"Oh, we'll know," the master hunter said, turning to face her with a smile. Snow couldn't ignore the glow of his right hand. Why was it still glowing? Why was it glowing at all? What did the glow mean?

"He'll spring right out of the ground, just like a pretty little daisy. Once he does, we'll pin him and grab everything we need. All right?"

Digging into territory on Snow's behalf, and gravely worried over both friends, Gadot spoke. "Why does it seem like the walls have eyes?"

Nero whipped the baton out of Dante's hand, eyes locked onto the crystal blue ceiling. "There are souls that can't find rest, and since they can't sleep, they rest within the walls of memories that are forever broken. They're here out of grief, anger, and remorse."

Snow kept his blue orbs on Dante, whose eyes were scanning the environment. The hunter was distant, several feet away from the one he intensely adored. The crystal blue ether was taking on a dark glow, and the songs of souls began to flutter on butterfly wings. The names had stopped, the smiles had stopped, and they were distant. Dante once worshipped the ground he walked on, without pushing the gentle stallion in an awkward corner. Snow never turned down any of the name calling or compliments, always accepting Dante's adoration with a scarlet red smile.

Now they were distant. Separate. Far apart.

No matter how it was spelled out, Snow didn't like it. It was as if the hunter had placed him on thin ice, and refused to explain why. Only one thing was certain, and it was the after effects of Dante's side trip. Dante had taken a trip back to Fortuna City, in order to uncover more information about Vergil's reign of terror. He was, after all, the head of the Order. He was responsible for restoring one of Nero's old enemies, summoning the wild beast Gibraltar-

"Pleasure to see you, brother of mine! Glad you could drop by!"

Lebreau stiffened, instantly on high alert. Yuge and Maqui, back-to-back, unsheathed their pairs of pistols. Nero threw another glance at Dante, face wreathed in fury and disgust. Dante kept his eyes directed at the ceiling, but closed them. He relaxed every muscle with a sigh, waiting for something he believed to be inevitable.

The kingdom's ether darkened, leaving behind flocks of glimmering butterflies. Snow rushed to the silent Dante's side, his babyish blue eyes drowning in fear. Before he could even touch the hunter's shoulder, a flash of golden light split through his vision. Once the painful wave of light cleared, gasps broke into the cold air. All eyes instantly went to a rather familiar figure-a figure Dante knew all too well. "Vergil!" Gadot snarled, hands balled into bulky fists. "What in the hell are you doing here?! Don't tell us you're the Gatekeeper we're looking for!"

Dante opened his eyes, still relaxed. There he was, hovering in the sky without a care in the world. There was a smile on his face, and it was a smile that sickened him to his very core. He was none other than Vergil, the one shard of his life he wished to kill-but couldn't. "I'm not your Gatekeeper, dear cretin," he said sweetly, spreading his arms underneath the heavens. "I'm merely...the Gatekeeper's receptionist."

Snow stepped forward, raising a fist to Dante's smirking sibling. "What are you talking about?"

"Ah. You must be Snow. Snow, Snow, Snow. The darling Snow my brother has fallen for. Isn't that right, dear brother of mine?"

Dante opened his mouth, but closed it as quickly as it opened. He was akin to a witness that had a testimony to share, but was hesitant to share it. "I see," Vergil purred after a moment of silence, beaming from ear to ear. "Guilty as charged."

Yuge and Maqui exchanged a fretful glance, hands gripping their pistols. Gadot exchanged an equally frantic glance with Lebreau, while Nero looked at Dante as if his superior had slapped him in the face. Before Snow could issue a single syllable, a grinning Vergil appeared between the master hunter and Team Nora's commander. "Tell me, Snow," the sovereign of Hell said, drenching Snow's name in sickeningly sweet venom.

"Whose more important to you?"

"What?!"

"Allow me to repeat myself," Vergil said, momentarily disgusted by Snow's apparent lack of attention. "Who is more important to you-Serah or my putrid, adorable brother?"

Wrath erupted on the Villiers' face. "What are you going to do, bastard?!" he roared, raising two fists in order to convey the desire to fight. Vergil started with chuckles at first, then burst into laughter. Meanwhile, Dante kept his eyes on the ceiling, still relaxed and perfectly calm.

"Allow me to give you a simple explanation. My brother's going to set your beloved Serah free-unless, of course, you choose to save his life."

Gadot, hands balled into even tighter fists, felt a geyser of fury go off in his heart. "What?! Dante, you're the Gatekeeper?!"

"The gates are sealed by shattered souls. My brother's been chosen to seal the Ninth Gate, dearies, but your commander can choose to save him. Having my brother seal the gate would give him an easy ride to his princess."

Akin to a wounded puppy, Snow peered into Dante's eyes. He said nothing for a moment, but then gathered up the strength to speak. "Everything he's saying is true, isn't it?" he asked, his voice even softer than a breeze. He was painful to listen to, for the anguish behind his voice was so intense, it was a fatal force.

"You're the Gatekeeper, aren't you? That's what you've been hiding from me!"

"And according to my lovely sibling, you're obsessed with your princess," Vergil said with a broad grin, and Dante still refused to even glance at a heartbroken Snow. "You love her. You want nothing more than the chance to save her."

"What in the hell are you talking about?! She's a friend, damn it! Yes she means everything to me, but she's a friend! A friend!"

"Keep shouting it and I'm sure you'll believe it, sweetheart."

Snow, once again, was a deer trapped in headlights. And Vergil savored the look on his face. "Why don't you just make things easier on yourself?" Dante's sibling asked, arms outstretched to the heavens. "Let him go. Follow your heart. She is a rather exquisite creature."

"Shut up! Just shut the hell up!"

"She's waiting for you, Snow. She's waiting for you. Go to her. Make her yours. We know that's your wish. My dear brother knows it. According to him, you've been in love with her for quite a while."

Struck by an intolerable wave of dizziness, Snow turned to Dante once again. Nero, Lebreau, Maqui, Yuge and Gadot felt as if they were watching a play, none too comfortable with their inability to change anything-or stop the performance altogether. "Dante," the Villiers whimpered, reaching out. "Serah's my friend! I've told you this already! I love her, but she's like a sister to me!"

The master hunter shook his head, averting his face from the blonde's. "The jig's up, babe," he said, voice laden with sadness. He bowed his head and shut his eyes. "It's over."

"What's over? What are you talking about?!"

"I saw it," Dante said instantly, eyes glistening. Only once in his life had he been the victim of tears, and that alone heightened his discomfort. "You didn't do a very good job of hiding anything from me. You're rotten at keeping secrets, Snowflake."

"What did you see, damn it?! Dante, talk to me!"

Gadot captured the look on Dante's face and gasped. Nero's heart violently jolted, and he too experienced a staggering rush of shock. Dante's face was alive with emotions he had never possessed before, and his eyes were filled with strange objects: tears. Every broken dream and shattered smile was on the master hunter's face, glistening in his soft eyes. "I saw it," he said, voice barely above a whisper. Every syllable was laden with the world's grief, heavy and "I saw your home-made movie. I saw the night you spent with Serah at the carnival. Beautiful night, babe. Complete with fireworks and everything. She couldn't have been a luckier girl."

"Dante--!"

"Screw this," Lebreau growled, unsheathing both of her handguns. Her other teammates followed suit, preparing their chosen weapons. "I don't give a damn about the Gatekeeper or anything you have to say, filthy dipshit," she snarled, directing her words at a triumphant Vergil.

"No bastard's going to hurt any of my friends!"

Yuge, Maqui and Lebreau simultaneously fired off several rounds, all of which were evaded by their target. Taking advantage of Vergil's momentary lapse in attention, Nero dove in to deliver an attack. His blade was expertly thrust towards the demon, but to no avail. Dante's sibling successfully blocked each attack, using only his arms. In a mere blink, he repelled the novice hunter in a flash of white light. Yuge caught him before he could burrow into the ground, and Snow took his opportunity to attack. Grunting, he issued several blows-all of which were blocked.

Gadot appeared right behind Vergil, and attempted to send him into a chokehold. Vergil cast him over his shoulder as soon as the chokehold was initiated, slamming him onto the ground with painful ferocity. Releasing vehement battle cries, Lebreau fired off more rounds while Nero initiated another wave of blade attacks. Both sets of attacks were nonchalantly blocked, and both of Vergil's assailants were forced back in mere flashes.

Grinning at the sight of his fallen opponents, Vergil wasted no time in awakening a great beast. With a simple snap of his fingers, red light swelled underneath Dante's feet. Nero and Snow darted towards the silent hunter, but both were repelled by a fierce wave of red light. The two of them were sent flying, but once they landed, they caught wind of devilish cries. Vergil's laughter resounded through eternal halls, while a beast of great tentacles lashed out at the open world. Gadot and Nero rushed towards the beast with their blades, but found themselves helpless in a mere second. The creature's tentacles latched onto Dante, and raised the master hunter into the air.

Dante made no attempt to escape.

"Dante, you dumbass! What are you doing?! Get out of there!"

"Dante!"

Snow's cry fell on Dante's ears, but was only answered by a wave of tears. Tentacles pierced the master hunter's abdomen, giving birth to an ocean of crimson blood. Cries tore themselves out of precious companions, but all of them were met with tears as well. Tears poured out of a broken, crushed soul, each one filled with pain that could never be measured. Red light swelled around the base of the creature, accompanied by emblems from the gateway's door. Tentacles dove in deeper, a master slayer of demons grunted but otherwise kept his silence-

"Dante! Dante, you have to listen to me! Please! You're important to me too! I love you!"

Lebreau and the others shielded their eyes. A brutal wave of red light split through the ether, followed by a cry of immeasurable sorrow. Once the light faded, Gadot instantly rushed towards his fallen, dearest friend. Nero and the others followed suit, stopping once they arrived at a fallen Snow. On his knees, the blonde stallion was immersed in a world of tears. Shivering, convulsive from grief, Team Nora's commander cried out for someone that had been stolen from him.

"Dante! Danteeeee!"

Nero, face wreathed in scorn, took a good look around. The only trace left of Dante was a dark pool of blood. Vergil's companion was gone, along with Vergil. A soul's sobbing burned the insides of his ears, causing him to wince. He shut his eyes against the sound, inwardly cursing Snow to his very death.

The novice hunter turned around. Lebreau, Gadot and the others were there, comforting their leader. Arms wrapped around him, they held him in an embrace of solace and love. The blonde stallion wept in the arms of his friends, shivering. Trembling. Lost in pain he would never escape from.

"Dante...Dante...I'm sorry! Danteee!"

"Can it! Stop it, Snow!"

The eyes of Team Nora fell on Nero in an instant. Lebreau rose to her feet and approached the hunter, face covered in anger. "Nero, now's not the time to throw another one of your tantrums," she snapped, but the young hunter refused to stand down.

"Back out of this, Lebreau! My words are for your commander!"

Hearts fell. Nero wouldn't admit it out loud, but he missed him. The young novice missed a fallen hunter, and missed him with a devastating amount of heartache. "Listen up, Snow," the silver haired rogue said, voice trembling from wrath and sadness. "Dante isn't gone! He's far from dead!"

"What are you talking about?" Gadot asked in Snow's place, while keeping his oldest friend's head in his chest. Nero's eyes snapped his head off, but they were filled with unmistakably intense pain.

"That jackass isn't dead. His soul's in limbo! Remember asking about these walls? The walls hold the souls that have surrendered themselves to agony! Dante acknowledged Snow's love for Serah, threw in the towel and gave it all up! And now he's a part of these walls! He's nothing but a mass of crystal, shielding the world from another gate!"

An intolerable moment of silence passed, and with it, the volume of Nero's voice simmered. However, the great anger remained intact. "It's time for you to face facts, Snow," the hunter snarled quietly, eyes glistening with tears. "Life isn't apples and peaches, no matter how noble you are! You're in love with two people, Snow. Dante knows you love Serah and couldn't take it! She isn't just a 'friend' and you know it! I know it! We all know it!"

Tears escaped his eyes. His voice became hoarse, and so much pain surfaced on his face. "It's hard, giving your all for someone, only to find out your special someone couldn't give a rat's ass about you," he said, his voice akin to a puppy's whimpers. Tears burst out of the eyes of Snow's companions, and Snow kept his head buried in Gadot's chest.

"You love her, and he couldn't take it. He knew you'd never love him the way you love her. And everything was sealed after he saw that video."

Snow remained silent. Not a single sniff left him. "We have two options," a tearful Nero said, pacing. "We can either take the route Dante opened up for us, and snag Serah. If that's the way we choose, it'll be lights out for Dante forever. The only way a soul of Shini'slen can be saved is if their soul is liberated! We can either forget about Dante, or Serah! The choice is yours, Snow, but remember this: you can't have your cake and eat it too! Not in the real world! You can't have them both!"

None of Nero's friends dared to breathe, let alone speak. Silence burned the insides of their world for what seemed like an era, but then Snow lifted his head from Gadot's chest. His dearest friend was alarmed, but the blonde stallion softened his fear with a radiant smile. "I'm saving both of them," he said quietly, eyes glistening with the world's determination. And not a single tear remained.

"You can't, dumbass! I already told you-"

"And I'm telling you, where there's a will, there's a way. Right?"

Anger vanished from Nero's heart in a flash, and was immediately replaced by overwhelming adoration. Waterfalls emerged as the smile on Snow's face became all too clear. "We're getting both of them back," Team Nora's leader repeated, as if they were merely going to the park. "I'm not abandoning anyone."

"But what about-"

"I'll figure everything out on the way," Snow informed Yuge, as if he were simply pondering a grocery list. "And don't worry; I won't take forever on this. I know time's running short."

Earning a broad smile from Gadot, Snow Villiers rose to his feet. "All right," he said, almost putting his words into a cheerful song. "Team, we'll rest here and move out tomorrow! We're going to do everything we can to recover Dante AND Serah! What's our motto?!"

"Which one do you want?" Maqui asked, hands on his hips. "Our old one or new one?"

"The new one, silly," Snow replied, brightening the world with warm laughter. "What is it?"

Four hearts answered all at once. "Nothing can stop Team Nora!"

"That's right! And don't forget it!"

Nero watched them. He watched them as Snow patted his teammates on the back, laughing and smiling. His teammates laughed and smiled, eyes shining with what appeared to be newborn hope. Looking very much like a newborn fawn, the novice hunter stood by and observed newborn happiness.

In the wake of darkness came light.

Hands fell upon his shoulders. Both were bulky but gentle, coming from none other than Snow. "Thank you," he said, eyes filled with tears but joyful. Nero peered into his eyes, bearing the innocence of a small animal.

"It took a lot of heart and spirit for you to say those things. Thank you."

The novice swam through silence, glittering eyes filled with frailty. Snow patted him on the back, and couldn't have been any warmer. "You know, maybe you should hang out with her sometime," he said merrily, and the young hunter's eyes widened.

"With who?"

"You know, Lightning."

"I'd rather give Vergil a blow job," Nero snarled, and failed to hear Gadot's snickers. Snow dug a fist into the top of Nero's head.

"Yeah, I know it sounds like a lot of fun, but it would work out."

"Bull," the hunter growled, and pushed the stallion off of him. Snow burst into ephemeral laughter, then returned to business.

"She could learn a lot from you. You're tough, but...you care."

Without another word, Snow turned away from him. Nero watched as he gathered his team to deliver nighttime instructions, and knew they'd be setting up camp soon. Face softer than the moonshine, the demon hunter sat down, wrapped himself up in his cape, and shut his eyes.

_What a night this has turned out to be._

* * *

This was composed to the incredible Final Fantasy XIII soundtrack. The battle scene was written to 'Blinded by the Light', the standard battle theme. The exploration of the new world was written to 'The Vestige', and Nero's pep talk to Snow was written to 'Promised Eternity'. I had a lot of fun working out the battle scene, as I imagined the entire cast battling out in true XIII style to the battle anthem.

I also had a lot of fun with Nero's highlights. I'm all too familiar with the way Lightning constantly treats Snow, and attained inspiration from her arguments against Snow over Serah. Instead of having someone pummel the self-esteem out of him, I decided to have Nero act as a 'tough love' buddy. XD

The people of Mana'kil were inspired by the people of James Cameron's 'Avatar' film.

The cutscene between Snow and Serah, centered around the carnival, was just heart-breakingly beautiful. I had Dante watch it, and his heart shattered. Watch it. It is highly recommended.

Thank you so much for your support!


	3. The Tears of a Broken Heart

Thank you for joining this third chapter. _**Please note: if you decide to read this tale, check your tolerance of boy/boy couples, Snow and fluff at the door!**_

The camaraderie between Nero and Snow, along with the relationship between Nero and Dante, was inspired by an incredibly dear friend's tale. It was actually his first DMC tale, featuring a broken hearted Nero and Dante. The backstory between Nero and Kyrie was also inspired by my dear friend's tale.

Thank you and enjoy!

* * *

_His footsteps were soft and steady, but he felt heavier than an iron boulder. His heartbeat couldn't have been any louder, resonating inside of his ears and throughout the rest of his body. His heart cried out with every step he took, speaking of fear that could not be measured. His unfathomable fear stemmed from the possible loss of happiness, the elimination of euphoria he could not live without._

_Only candles lit up the lobby. Their small flames offered little comfort as he approached her, the cries of his heart elevating with every step. He was desperate, hungry, almost greedy for the chance to speak with her. If he had to spend another minute without her, he'd crumble. He needed her to breathe, to walk, to swim, to live._

_And she was there, right there in front of him. Waiting. Head bowed, hands folded, eyes closed._

_While the rest of the sanctuary was cloaked in darkness, she was bathing in a pool of golden light. She had always been in light's presence, a gentle and beautiful creature that could have been mistaken for an angel. Her hair was tied in its usual ponytail, restrained by a thin golden ribbon. A blue and white gown complimented her svelte frame, reflecting the sunshine without fail. She had always been an entity of light, and that would never change._

_She would always be his light, his source of happiness, and that would never change._

_The world around him was nothing more than a blur, clouded by a fit of dizziness. He ran towards her, akin to a canine that hadn't eaten in weeks. "Kyrie," his heart cried out, soaring beyond the reach of every angel. "Kyrie! Kyrie!"_

_She lifted her head, but did not smile. Her hands remained in the form of a ball, and her fragile features were cloaked in sorrow. "Kyrie," he said breathlessly, now no more than an inch away from her. She took a step away from him, but he did not notice._

_"Kyrie, I'm here. I'm here, Kyrie!"_

_She said nothing, but shook her head. She continued to shake her head, as if that would be enough to shake off a nightmare. "Kyrie," he repeated, arms reaching out to her. As he stepped towards her, she stepped away._

_"Don't do this to me, Kyrie! Kyrie!"_

_"Stop it, stop it, stop it!"_

_She clasped her hands onto the sides of her head, eyes shut. "Stop it," she repeated, voice shrill and tearful. "Stop it! Stop calling my name! Just stop it!"_

_No word in any language could measure his grief. She was there, right there, but didn't even want to look at him. Let alone speak to him._

_"Kyrie! Look at me! Kyrie!"_

_"No no no! Help me! Help me, please!"_

"Hey! Nero!"

His eyes snapped back to the present. Dilated eyes regained their normal composure, sweeping over his true environment. He was still inside of Shini'slen, surrounded by crystallized souls. Glittering crystal flowers lit up the cold night, giving off an aura he cared nothing for. A small bonfire had been lit to warm several bodies, including his.

And a gentle voice had roused him from memories.

"Funny. You're wide awake, but you're still able to dream."

The novice hunter suppressed the urge to smile. He turned to Snow as if Snow's body had been covered in cockroach carcasses. "Dreaming's the last thing I'm able to do," he said, voice akin to a lion's snarl. "What are you doing awake anyway, o grand leader? Aren't you supposed to be catching a few winks?"

Snow Villiers sat near the young hunter, wearing one of his warmest smiles. His blue eyes captured the bonfire's radiance perfectly. "Couldn't sleep," he said, peering into the fire. Meanwhile, Gadot snored without a care in the world. At least the night offered someone freedom from sorrow.

"How can I sleep, after the night we had?"

Nero's face responded with an intense degree of disgust, as if Snow had just asked him for a lap dance. The blonde stallion chuckled at the look on his face, then slapped him on the back. "What's on your mind, o grand hunter?" he asked, affection slathered over each of his syllables. His eyes were incredibly warm, reflecting the gentle flames as if they were created by a sunset.

"Worried about your boss?"

Nero winced, and issued a grunt of contempt. "As if," he replied, and earned chuckles. "He's confusing the hell out of me, to tell you the truth. Never pegged him to be the 'settle down' type. Never pegged him for any kind of love story. The jackass isn't a playboy, but never took anyone seriously either. Said love was a waste of time. Too much trouble. That's what I've heard, anyway. We find out he's the Ninth Gatekeeper, and he sacrifices himself for your sake. Serah's too."

Snow absorbed his friend's words as a flower absorbed sunshine. "We'll undo everything," he said, distant but forever close to the young hunter. "We'll take care of everything. We'll pull Dante out of here, and save Serah's life. Everything's gonna work out in the end, you'll see."

Nero's smile was blanketed in icy frustration. "What's with you? You make everything sound so easy, when it's damn near impossible."

Snow gave him a thumbs-up, eyes glowing with the bonfire's magic. "Nothing's impossible. We're still breathing, right? And we're capable of anything. We're heroes!"

The novice hunter lowered his head, eyes closed. He said nothing for a moment, then issued laughter. "Do you love him?" he asked, voice covered in something rather surprising: pain. Snow winced at the unexpected birth of his friend's anguish, but answered him with a smile.

"Yeah. Yeah, I do, and after we rescue him, I'll let him know."

"It's not that easy, Snow," Nero said, shaking his head. All traces of anger had evaporated, leaving behind only a tremendous deal of sadness. The poor thing was also exhausted, and it was obvious. "He already knows you love him, and he loves you. The question is, are you willing to love him over Serah? Or is she your one and only?"

The Villiers opened his mouth to respond, but sadly resigned himself to silence. With a sigh Nero turned away, huddled into a ball. "I don't understand," he said, speaking not only to Snow but to himself. His voice was painfully small in the night only lit by small flames. "I don't understand this at all. I never thought he'd fall in love. He never thought he'd fall in love. I guess being a bigshot asshole wasn't enough to keep him happy. He was a flake this entire time, pretending to be something he wasn't. Pretending to be happy. Guess he had the shittiest luck in the world, falling for a guy that can't even make up his mind."

Neither of them spoke for a short while. Snow kept his eyes locked on the bonfire, while Nero kept his eyes closed. "You want everything to be sugar and rainbows, but that's not how things'll end up," the young hunter said, voice hoarse and faint. "Nothing's going to be drenched in gumdrops and sunshine. We aren't living in a kid flick, Snow. If you choose Serah over Dante, he'll want it to end. He'll pretend to be all right, but we'll all know he's playing a deck of cards. As shitty as he is, one thing's for certain. No one wants to be alone."

Two pairs of eyes met, both filled with tears. "Maybe this was all meant to happen," the novice hunter said, eyes glistening with dew. He spoke as if he were dangerously close to sobbing. "Maybe we were meant to meet. Maybe Dante's swan song was meant to come up like this. Maybe you're a messenger of some sort, a messenger to send him to sleep. Maybe this is it."

"This isn't it," the Villiers declared sternly, shaking his head. "Not by a longshot. Dante isn't gone. We just have to reach out there and reel him back in. We're getting him back. It's not going to end like this, Nero. Trust me!"

Nero gave him something he rarely gave anyone: a smile. A pure, warm, radiant smile. "You're stubborn," he said with a chuckle. "You haven't listened to a world I've said. Did your sister have to put up with this too?"

Snow cringed as if someone had placed rotten meat in front of him. "Yeah, guess you could say she did," he replied. "We were like oil and water. Didn't mix."

"Huh. I can imagine. Don't expect me to feel sorry for her, though. Yeah, you're annoying, but I'm not going to be a whiny bitch over your ignorance."

"Sheesh! You don't slack off on the punches, do you?"

"Not really, and don't expect me to anytime soon," the smiling hunter said, sending his eyes into the fire. "Try putting me in a room with her. She'd most likely end up roasted in a matter of minutes."

Bright, bubbly laughter broke out from the stallion. "You two would make quite a pair! The two of you buying each other roses, the fireworks-I can just picture it all now!"

"You've got balls, talking about fireworks," Nero snapped with a cobra's venom. "And once again, I'd rather give a blow job to Vergil than spend ANY time with her! He could bend me over and screw the shit out of me, and that would still beat the crap out of even looking at her!"

Secretly playing the part of the diabolical villian, Snow spent several more moments in laughter. Then he patted the fuming hunter's back. "I'm glad you're here," he said, voice taking on the bonfire's glow. Nero looked at him as if he had just mentioned the name of a certain maiden.

"I'm glad we're friends. And once all of this is over, we'll hang out together. I'll buy us a pack of tickets, we'll hit up the theme park, and then-"

"I'm not doing anything unless you pack some Goleth burgers."

Scarlet red flames pierced the insides of Snow's cheeks. "You liked them, huh?" he asked, akin to a tiny child that had just completed his first accomplishment. "Oh, hey. That reminds me. Sorry about breakfast."

"You know what? If you apologize for one more thing, or promise anything else, I'm going to cut your fucking head off and feed it to Gibraltar."

A fist dug itself into the top of the hunter's head. "Aw, come on Nero! You know you love me!"

"That's another way to seal your death certificate," the novice declared furiously, forcing off Snow's fist. "I don't appreciate you being too touchy-feely, or idiotic!"

"Yeah, well, if you want any more of my cooking, you're gonna have to give me a-"

The attempt at cheerful banter was just that: an attempt. A failed attempt. Snow's own words poured tears into his blue eyes, and sent him into silence. Nero eyed him as he buried his face into his hands, trying to recover from the unexpected strike of tearful grief. "He asked for a payment," the commander of Team Nora said, speaking to himself and Nero. "He wanted me to give him something, but it wasn't money. Said he didn't want money."

"A bit surprising, considering how much of a cheapskate he is," the young hunter said, wearing another surprising smile. "Can't count how many pizzas and sundaes I've been treated to. But I might as well tell you what he wanted. He wanted a kiss."

"Tha-that's it? That's all he wanted? All he wanted was a-"

Snow slapped a hand to his forehead. That was all he wanted. Dante was willing to walk away with a kiss, a simple kiss! Nothing more! He didn't even want--!

A kiss. Something so simple, so...

He remembered. Through tears, he remembered. He remembered the nicknames, the winks. Remembered how Dante went out of his way to open doors and pull out chairs. Remembered the single pink flower inside of an ivory white box. Remembered the morning petal shower, conducted by an eager and unbeatable conductor. He remembered-

The look on Dante's face, several moments prior to his death.

Wait a minute. Capture, not death. He wasn't gone. He was out there, sealed away in the stronghold of the Ninth Gate. He wasn't gone.

"I ignored him," the Villiers said, heaving, eyes filling with tears. Concern grew by several levels on Nero's face. "I brushed everything off. I didn't know what I was doing, but that's no excuse. I only thought of Serah, I never thought of his safety or his happiness at all! If I had only taken the time to-"

"If you had, none of this would be any different. He still would have seen the video, still would have seen you with Serah, and you still wouldn't have been able to make a decision. Don't whine over spilled milk, Snow. Don't."

The novice hunter placed both hands on Snow's back, watching him as he resigned himself to silence. "Whatever happens, I'm with you," he said, wearing a rather beautiful smile. "The outcome of this nightmare isn't going to change anything. Remember that."

Nero watched the stallion as he wandered through silence, head bowed and face damp. "What happened to her?" the blonde asked, breaking their silence. The novice hunter's eyelids fluttered.

"Who are you talking about?"

"You know who," Snow replied instantly, without raising his head. "The one you were thinking of, before we started this chat. The one you're always thinking of. What happened to her, Nero?"

Nero removed his hands from Snow's back, looking very much like a wounded animal. He said nothing for a short while, feeling as if Snow had forced him into a corner, but then gathered enough strength to speak. "I met him back in Fortuna," he said, beginning a tale that transported him back in time. "We were up against a god. I was fighting for her, but got myself caught. In the end, he rescued me. He rescued both of us."

Earning Snow's complete attention, he went on. "Dante and I went our separate ways, and I thought everything was all right," the young hunter added, sorrow elevating. "I thought we'd be together forever, Kyrie and I. I loved with everything I had, and I thought she loved me. I thought she trusted me, but then...everything changed. She changed. She turned away from me, and...I was left out in the dark."

Snow instinctively wrapped his arms about the other. Nero looked and sounded as if his heart would literally break in mere seconds, and life would come to an end. "I was dangerous," the hunter went on, tears falling. "She said she couldn't afford to have her life endangered by...by...a demon. I'm not a fullblood, but it doesn't matter. Didn't matter to her, and it never will. She said...she said..."

With a small sob, he cast his face into Snow's chest. "She said she couldn't go on," he whimpered, clutching his friend's coat. "Said she didn't want me around! I tried to talk to her, tried to tell her everything would be all right, but she was pregnant! She still is pregnant, bearing the child of some bastard I don't even know!"

And so, for the first time in his life, Nero wept. He wept into Snow's chest, forgetting everything around him-save for his only source of comfort. He wept, pouring out every last bit of sorrow, every last bit of pain and frustration. He was a disconsolate child, devoting every last muscle in his body to the expulsion of grief. "She betrayed me," he cried out, tightening his grip on Snow's coat. "She betrayed me! I gave her everything and she betrayed me! Why?! Why did she leave me?! Why?!"

Snow held him. He held him as a mother would cradle an unbearably small child, running a hand through a sea of silvery white hair. The child gripped him as if a wave threatened to break them apart, pouring oceans into the older male's chest. Issuing gentle 'sshs', Snow rocked him back and forth. That continued for several minutes, until the young hunter lifted his head from the other's chest. His eyes were drenched in weariness, complete with bright veins and tearwater. "Do me a favor," he said, his voice no stronger than a breeze.

Snow smiled. "Anything."

A frail smile grew on Nero's face. "Don't tell that story to anyone else," he said, wiping his eyes. "If you do, I'll have to kill you."

"Don't worry," a beaming Snow said with a wave. "Your story's safe with me. And I now I have deeper insight on Dante's feelings. I'm not going to let him suffer anymore, Nero. Trust me."

Nero rose to his feet. "What are you trying to say?"

The stallion punched a fist into his hand. "As you were sharing your story with me, I imagined myself in Kyrie's place," he explained. "And I had Dante in yours. I couldn't stand seeing him in pain. My heart shattered, seeing him in pieces. I wanted to reach out to him, change everything."

A baby-faced Nero watched him as he rose to his feet, looking very much like a child rallying his school yard army. "This is going to stop," he vowed, eyes overflowing with determination. "I'm going to save him, and tell him my love for Serah is different from the love I bear for him."

"Great, but what's our starting point?"

Snow and Nero exchanged a look of surprise. "Wanting to rescue your demon slayer is all fine and dandy," a young woman said with a yawn, arms outstretched. "but you can't move forward without a sword and steed. Have to figure out what to do, where to move."

"Nice of you to join the conversation, Lebreau," Snow said with a wave. Nero folded his arms, halfway between annoyed and delighted. "Sorry for waking you."

Lebreau waved off the apology, rising to her feet. "Aw, no need to apologize. Dante's assistant was responsible for ruining my beauty sleep."

"Same here, but I'm not complaining," a waving Gadot said, turning over. "The kid's story was pretty compelling. Interesting. Could've won a ton of awards."

"Nero could've won every award out there," Yuge put in amidst a long yawn. "Best performance I've seen from anyone, anywhere."

"You-you bastards!"

"Aw, don't sweat it," Maqui said cheerily, approaching a thoroughly embarrassed Nero with a broad smile. His smile was a reflection of the group's warmth, brighter than the moon and filled with a thousand ages of love. "Your story's safe with us!"

Nero looked to Snow, and Snow gave him a shrug. "What can you do?" Team Nora's commander said, eyes twinkling with Santa's warmth. "Just let it go. Besides, now they know why're always so grumpy."

"I'm 'grumpy' because I'm surrounded by jackasses!"

"You're back in a good mood," Snow said warmly, slapping the novice's back. He then ruffled Nero's hair. "Good. I'm glad. And since we're all awake, we can get down to business."

"You said we're breaking Dante out of his hellhole, right?" Gadot asked, sitting up in his place. "All you have to do is pluck him out of the crowd and spill the beans, right? And voila! We've got him back!"

"It won't be that simple, Gadot," Snow said, putting his hands on his hips. Nero gave the blonde stallion a smile of great warmth, pride and affection. "This isn't a soap opera. I've got to put in a little more work."

"Well said, but you don't have to put in any work."

The team instantly went on high alert. An irritated Nero stiffened, able to recognize the voice in a flash. "He's got it all worked out," the newcomer said, approaching the group. The voice belonged to a slender figure, and one that was rather seductive. Digesting all of her qualities, Nero grimaced.

"Ugh. Don't tell me you're his fill-in."

"That's right, kiddo. I'm not going to babysit you, though. I'm here to pitch in for the entire mission."

Her name was Lady. She was a slim beauty, equipped with piercing eyes and bold cleavage. She eyed Snow with the mischief of a vixen, but also with the adoration of an over-protective mother. "So you're Snow?" she asked, her voice coming out as a purr. "You're something special, sweetheart. Dante wasn't a loverboy until you came into the picture."

"Yeah," Nero said, folding his arms. "I came to the same conclusion."

"What do you mean, he has everything worked out?" Snow asked, sounding very much like a shy toddler. Lady grinned at his babyish demeanor. "Have you been communicating with him?"

"I'm always in contact with that moron, unfortunately. Name's Lady, by the way. I'm Dante's business partner."

She whipped off her sunglasses. "Listen, let's bypass an explanation on how I got in, and zoom right onto business. Dante asked me to help you guys out, while he works his magic on the other end."

"Is he okay?" a restless Maqui asked, taking their new companion by the arm. The eyes of his teammates reflected those words a million times.

"He's as 'okay' as he's gonna get, kid," the maiden said softly, giving him a wink. "Let me tell ya, he was pretty beaten for a while, knowing the love of his life-the only love of his life-dumped him for someone else. He's bouncin' back, though, and paving the way for a clean-cut rescue. We are, after all, hunting for Snow's girlfriend. And he wants things to run smoothly for his client."

Lebreau, Maqui, Gadot and Yuge were clearly overjoyed by the news. Dante was alive, and still fighting! A great half of Snow's heart was rejoicing right along with them, but he couldn't ignore a devastating amount of distress.

Lady, after all, had been misinformed-just like Vergil.

"He's beating the shit out of the Gibraltar Order," Lady explained, referring to the absent Dante. "At this rate, we won't have to worry over the Ninth, Tenth or even the Eleventh Gates. Don't assume he's helpless, either. He is one of the grand Sparda's sons."

"And since Gibraltar's defenses are down, the guard around Serah should be weakened," Lebreau put in, rubbing at her chin. "We have the perfect opportunity to snatch her!"

Snow's blue eyes were alive with apprehension. "How do we break him out of there?" he asked, referring to the missing hunter. "He's inside of the Bridge, right? The connection to all gateways?"

Lady leaned into Snow's face in such a manner, her breasts were almost completely exposed. "Sorry, honey, but wee mortals can't get into that club," she said, wagging a finger. "You'll wither away before you can even dabble your feet into that territory. That club's for devils only."

Before Snow could protest, Nero stepped forward. "Wait a minute," he said, hand over his heart. "What if I share my blood with him? There's a way to temporarily link myself to any mortal, isn't there?"

Lady folded her arms, putting her weight onto one leg. "Yes, there is," she said, smiling. She noticed the look on Snow's face and winked at him. "It'll be painful, but the process won't last long. It just involves a little cutting, that's all."

"Don't jump too far ahead," Lebreau said warmly, placing a hand on Snow's shoulder. "Remember, Dante wants us to ensure Serah's safety."

"But what if-"

"Let's get this show on the road," Gadot said with a sigh, fixing the cricks in his shoulder. "We've gotta hurry up, or we'll be forced to listen to more of Prince Charming's whining!"

* * *

The first half of this chapter was composed to Final Fantasy X's 'Wandering Flame', and Final Fantasy XIII's 'Promised Eternity'. The section following Nero's story was composed to 'The Hanging Edge' of XIII.

I love having Nero in Lightning's place. He's blunt and icy, but cuddly and loving. XD Creating his backstory with Kyrie was a great deal of fun too, which brings me to another point. This story is set after the events of the original XIII, and Devil May Cry 4.

The carnival movie between Snow and Serah was the breaking point for Dante, but for the sake of this tale, Snow didn't propose to Serah. They only shared their beautiful, heart-warming kiss.


	4. My Hands

Thank you for joining the newest chapter of 'Dawnwind'. These notes are being written after the completion of this chapter, which I hope you will thoroughly enjoy. XD Written to the beautiful lyrics of Leona Lewis' 'My Hands', I composed this inspiration in honor of Devil May Cry fanfiction and the Sailor Scouts. Stellar DMC fanfiction and Sailor Moon aren't my only sources of inspiration, though. The International Trailer for XIII provided a great deal of motivation (wink wink: the usage of My Hands). I love picturing Snow and his friends in their own 'My Hands' video. XD

Speaking of the International Trailer, I watched it last night, and then read through Hope's story. Apparently, he made an attempt at Snow's life-and then the big hearted idiot protected him. After reading about Hope's assassination attempt, I was sent into a fuming rage. XD Wow, that just makes me love Dawnwind's crew even more.

Near the end of the chapter, Nero sheathes his blade and utters the word 'dumbass'. Remember, Dante gave him the blade Yamato at the end of DMC4. Read on and you'll catch my drift. XD

Expect a dazzling appearance next chapter. And NO, it isn't going to be Lightning. Enjoy!

* * *

If Nero was protective over Snow in the past, he became over-protective of Snow after a certain night.

He spoke not a word of his appreciation, but words weren't needed. He kept himself at Snow's side, and threatened to attack anyone that wished to offend him. Nero's list of offenses including the wrong type of glare, and seemingly harmless comments. Snow took Nero's demeanor in with the warmest smiles, realizing he wouldn't have gotten along with his first band of 'friends'.

Together, the devil slayer and blonde stallion led their band. Time was an odd force as they sought vaults of knowledge, passing by slowly yet swiftly. The hours could not be controlled as they pondered the fates of two missing companions, but slowly unearthed information that would lead them on their way. Returning to Mana'kil, Nero demanded an audience with the mayor-and his request was quickly fulfilled. After learning of the team's eventful night, the sordid mayor (who seemed to have a grip on the future) pointed them in the direction of Nalanil Kingdom. There, they would find even more answers in the hands of the Nalanil King. From what Nero found out, though, the kingdom was in severe disarray.

The little squadron would have a grand time trying to uncover anything.

There was still so much to understand. Dante being the Ninth Gatekeeper, Vergil leading the Gibraltar Order, Gibraltar himself, the remaining two gates...and, of course, the endangered Serah. Vergil claimed she was meant to be Gibraltar's mate, and would usher in a 'new stage of eternity', but in order to secure his goal, he needed his brother thrown into the mix. Nero hit the nail on the head by saying Dante was meant to meet Snow, for everything was falling into place.

It was almost impossible to keep track of things. The Gibraltar Order, represented by the Grand Beast Gibraltar himself, featured a large roster of elite demons. The devils were infused with inhumane power, power that transcended anything either Nero or Dante had encountered in the past. Vergil was at the head of the Order, working on projects the team still couldn't fathom. Someone was working at his side, conducting the demons on their routes. Dante or Nero couldn't identify him, but only knew he had played a rather large part in Nero's recent past.

Nero had a sinking feeling about his identity, but didn't want to tread in sick territory. Kyrie would recognize him as well, and would recoil in fear. He wasn't exactly the most popular apple of the bunch.

The most advanced technology swept through Nalanil. Buildings, constructed with the greatest pride, sat underneath the heavens as painstakingly crafted diamonds. Airships soared through a silvery blue ether, chocobos transported riders on land, and clouds of inhabitants conducted their business. With the heavy traffic came heavy attention, which Nero felt he needed to protect Snow from. The blonde stallion received clouds of euphoric smiles and winks, none of which were pleasing to the novice slayer. If anyone even thought of glancing at Snow, they were immediately discouraged. If anyone managed to get in a glance, they were instantly turned off.

No one fancied having their head bitten off.

The Nalanilians had no qualms about allowing their visitors to see the King. Excitement flooded their hearts and faces over requests to enter the palace. The people of Nalanil must've seen them as saviors, considering what the mayor of Mana'kil relayed to them. As the band received entry into the palace, Snow reflected on the clouds of Nalanilians. Many clouds had gathered in an attempt to convey a message, vehement and passionate about their mission. Even children gathered to get their messages across, reminding Team Nora of the gatherings in Cocoon. People rebelled against the Purge, and none of them were willing to stand down.

As soon as the band stepped through the palace entrance, hearts crept into a black void. The grand palace, while beautiful in nature, was deathly quiet. Not even the sentinels spoke, but they exchanged glances and whispers. No one wanted to admit it, but every member of the team felt rather small inside of the palace. "Looks like we're stepping into a party," Gadot remarked as Nero unsheathed his blade, still standing at Snow's side. "Prepare to live it up, team. We're going to party harder than we've ever partied before."

"I'll start the party before anyone else does," a novice hunter said, brandishing his eternal companion. He stepped in front of Snow and continued down the designated path, led by a pair of palace sentinels. A puppy-eyed Snow turned to Gadot, who supplied him with a shrug in return. Smiling, a nonchalant Lady followed the young devil slayer, and the remainder of the team followed suit. Snow was the last to follow, trailing behind his friends with a heavy heart. He missed Dante with a tremendous ache, but as deep as that ache was...

That wasn't the only problem.

The only sounds echoing throughout the palace halls were footsteps. Snow continued to trail behind his friends, and all of them poured into the King's throne room. Yuge and Maqui gasped once they were in the King's presence, scanning the world that had opened around them. The throne room was a completely different world, seemingly much larger than the rest of the palace. Lush crystals littered the throne room, singing on curtains and even portraits of ancient sovereigns.

The band's escorts put forth a bow, both of them going doing on one knee. Their sovereign, a burly Nalanilian male, dismissed them with a smile and a wave. "I understand you wish to see me," he said, his deep yet gentle voice booming throughout the throne room. His words were directed at Snow's band.

"Thank you for requesting an audience. I enjoy having guests in my kingdom."

Anger wrinkled Nero's face. Still smiling, and perfectly calm, Lady took a place at the novice slayer's side. "If you don't mind me asking, Your Highness," Lebreau asked, performing a curtsy. "Why is this place so quiet? Are we interrupting something?"

As all Nalanilians were, the muscular king was as white as the snow. Bright blue eyes greeted the world, filled with the brilliance of a bluebird's song. "Of course you aren't," the sovereign assured her, beaming from ear to ear. "My sentinels and I merely meditating. We spend a great deal of the day thanking the heavens for our blessings. And during that time, we communicate with each other through the bridges of our minds."

Clearly uncomfortable with the absence of formalities, Snow stepped forward. "Your Majesty, my name's Snow," the stallion said, voice trembling over the rocks of anxiety. "I have come to you with my closest friends. That's Gadot, Lebreau, Yuge, Maqui, Lady and-"

"The guy that's going to kick your ass if you don't help us," a novice hunter snarled, tightening the grip on his blade. Normally, one would have expected a crowd to gasp in response to Nero's attitude, but his companions gave him a wide-eyed look of admiration. Snow wore the face of a thoroughly worried yet immensely appreciative fawn. Nero threw him a reassuring glance, then took several steps forward.

"We were directed here by the Mana'kil mayor, Pietra. Ring any bells?"

The sovereign rubbed at his chin, eyes peering Heavenward. "Ah, yes," he said, after a moment's silence. "Pietra Lunadel, grandfather of Lunales Mana'kil the Third. We speak to each other through our bridges, bold young one."

"So you already know why we're here," a tight-faced Nero said, folding his arms. "Unless he didn't appreciate the opportunity to 'show and tell'."

Gadot and Lady exchanged a roguish smile, eyes twinkling with mischief and pride. The sovereign of Nalanil burst into uproarious laughter, evidently amused by Nero's demeanor. "I wish I had sentinels with your composure," he said amidst laughter. "Things would run a lot smoother!"

Snow stepped forward, raising a balled hand. Before he could issue a syllable, though, Nero tightened his grip on the baton. "What do you know about the Ninth Gatekeeper?" the novice slayer asked, eyes glowing with wildfire. "Tell us everything you've got, old man, unless you'd like to be roasted over an open fire!"

The king spent several more moments in laughter. His face couldn't have been any warmer, and his voice couldn't have been any sweeter. "I know a great deal about the Ninth Gatekeeper," he said, glowing with warm delight. "He sealed himself away out of a broken heart, in order to secure the life of Gibraltar's maiden. Oh, and just a few moments ago, he entered the Vault."

Hearts flew beyond the heavens. A collective gasp rose from the team, and Snow's eyes became saucers. "The Vault?!" he cried out, voice laden with desparation and sorrow. "He just entered the Vault?! Were you able to see him, Your Highness?!"

"Let's take this one step at a time," Gadot growled, eyes roaring with a lion's flames. "What in the hell is this Vault?!"

The king of Nalanil could have charmed a dragon out of his cavern. "Why, I believe I can answer both inquiries at once. The Vault exists in a realm that's entirely detached from us mortals. The Vault allows its chosen souls to peer into the past, and even to the future. I did not see your companion wander into the Vault, but I did open the door for him."

"So you've spoken to him," the Villiers roared, sadness and frustration becoming. "You must've spoken to him minutes ago!"

Lady, devoid of her usual mischievous smile, put her hands onto her hips. "What's up, Your Majesty? Why did you invite Dante into your playhouse?" she asked, without issuing the slightest bit of childlike glee. She was rarely without merriment, but the king had lost his rights to a plesant demeanor. The recipient of her anger grinned, speaking as if he merely wanted dinner.

"Why, I was only trying to assist him in a decision. He wanted to return to our mortal realm after the elimination of the Tenth and Eleventh Gates, just so he could ensure a happy future for his beloved Snow. I nudged him into a different direction, just to make sure he would be happy with his chosen path. Evidently, by his decision to dive into the Vault, he wasn't all that happy."

"You...how could you?!"

Roaring as a wounded, disconsolate wolf, Snow rushed out at the laughing sovereign. Nero was the first to rush after him, and the rest of the team followed suit. All of them were sent flying by a brilliant flash of light, which was evidently the king's shield. "You didn't think I'd leave myself unprotected, did you?" the sovereign asked, grinning triumphantly. While Nero and Lady assisted Snow to his feet, Gadot regained his composure on his own.

_"What kind of hellhole did you throw him in, you son of a bitch?!"_

Snow winced as the king spoke, feeling daggers bury themselves into his bleeding heart. "Why, I'm merely showing him the truth," the king began, rising from his chair. "I'm showing him what will happen if he chooses the proper path. If he bows out of your commander's life quietly, he'll settle down with Gibraltar's maiden and live a happy, peaceful life! One without demons, devil slayers, the gates of Hell-"

_"Stop it! Stop it, please! Tell him I love him! Please!"_

Nero and Maqui exchanged a stern glance, then eyed the king. For a moment, the sovereign of Nalanil looked as if he wished to relent, moved by the weighty emotion in Snow's voice. The momentary compassion was just that, though: momentary. "You poor thing," the king cooed, smiling as a feline with a canary. "You're clinging so desperately to a curse, when you could live happily with a maiden-the maiden of your dreams! You could build a family, a home-"

"That's what he's seeing right now, isn't it?!" Yuge snapped, hands balled into fists. "Dante's seeing Snow share an alternative future with Serah, isn't he?!"

"That's right, little one," the king purred, poisoning the very air with his voice. "And the future's rather beautiful, too. Snow's raising a beautiful little daughter named Nora, and an adorable chocobo farm. His family watches the fireworks show every night, and every night Serah-"

Snow pounded the ground with each word, alarming Lady. _"Stop it! Stop it stop it stop it! Just stop it!"_

Dante's business partner, for the second time in her life, found herself moved by the sight of emotion. She stood several inches away from Snow, wide-eyed and teary-eyed from the display of sadness. "Stop it," the Villiers repeated, much quieter but nonetheless grievous. All eyes were on him, including the wide eyes of the king. His head was bowed, and he was on all fours, but that didn't dampen the significance of his heart's burdens.

"Stop it!"

"Why? Are you blind, Snow Villiers? Can you not see the beautiful future before you? Do you not want a family, an adoring wife?!"

The members of Team Nora held their eyes on him, eyes filled with sorrow and the greatest concern. A wide-eyed Lady found herself blushing as she listened to Snow, who did not hesitate to open his heart. "I love her, yes," he said, dangerously close to sobbing. Slowly he rose to his feet, and bravely faced the king with tight fists.

"But she isn't the one! She isn't the one for me! He is my one and only! He is the one I'll devote myself to, now and forever! I'll find him and bring him home! If we decide to start a family, fine, but there are plenty of ways to build a family! We've already got a strong foundation for a family, right here!"

Nero once again brandished his blade. Yuge and Maqui unsheathed their pistols, then exchanged a glance. All of Snow's companions rushed out in front of him, prepared to lay their lives on the line for him. Grinning even brighter than before, the king unsheathed what appeared to be the blade of Nalanil sovereigns. "I've got to knock some sense into you, child," the meaty male snarled, eyes glittering with a lust for blood. "If you're going to share a glorious future with Gibraltar's maiden, your eyes have got to be rid of their clouds!"

At lightning speed, the cackling king bolted towards the band, blade at the ready. Nero and Gadot intercepted his attempted attack on Snow, using both of their blades to repel him. Lady darted several yards away, and prepared both of her handguns. "Tremors awaken, wash away this evil! Firaga!" Yuge roared, unleashing a wave of scarlet flame against Nalanil's sovereign. The wave was instantly repelled, and with it, the young gunner went flying. Snow caught him before he struck the ground, and the two shared a smile.

A snarling Lady set off several rounds, firing with perfect aim. A second passed before her heart plopped onto the ground, due to the king's lightning-quick appearance. She gave off a wide-eyed gasp, but Gadot tackled him before the king's attack could make contact. Snow cried out his oldest friend's name as he burrowed into the wall, tossed by the neck. "I don't know why you're angry with me," the sovereign said, grinning at the distress of Snow's forces. If he bared fangs, no one would have been surprised.

"He's the one accepting your true fate! And after the future unfolds before his eyes, he'll settle into a nice, glorious dream-a dream he agreed to watch! He won't suffer, you'll have your wonderful family-what more could you ask for?!"

"I don't want any of this pre-determined bullcrap," Snow snapped, arms outstretched. His usage of the word 'bullcrap' earned an ephemeral grin from Gadot. "I'll live the way I see fit, and I want to share my life with him! _You aren't doing anything but taking advantage of a weakened heart!"_

"If he's out of the way, you'll have nothing to worry about! Right?" Lebreau asked, arms about Lady's waist in support. "You're trying to have a Son of Sparda knocked out of the ring, but you're forgetting someone-Vergil, his brother! It isn't all easy for you, old wretch!"

"Ah, but there's something you don't know, my sweet maiden," the king said, rubbing his palms together. "I've been infused with the power of Hell by Vergil himself! I've-aaaaaaghhhhh!"

Lady and the rest of the team gasped, alarmed by the sight of a blade protruding from the king's stomach. Gadot grinned once he saw who was responsible for the fatal attack.

"Way to go, Nero! That's the ticket!"

The novice hunter threw him a glance of acknowledgment, then returned his eyes to the wriggling, writhing king. Blood pooled around his feet as the sovereign whimpered, trying his hardest to wrench himself off the young one's blade. Wisps of emerald green and sapphire blue light stole the wind out of the king's body, and the meat of the blade glistened with a bright sheen of blue. With a final cry, the sovereign of Nalanil vanished in a ball of blue light. Silence reigned as Nero sheathed his blade, face displaying a great degree of regret and sadness.

"Dumbass."

He turned to look at Snow, and immediately reflected the stallion's emotions. He, once again, was on all fours. A world of sadness was in the disconsolate blonde's eyes, shining brighter than any star, any diamond. The novice's heart fell as he examined the faces of his teammates, including Lady. Not even Dante's lady friend was exempt from anguish, bearing a great deal of it on her enchanting features. She was confused, bewildered, helpless. Wondering where to turn, wondering what had gone wrong. Wondering what she could have done to save a precious friend's life.

The young slayer lowered his head and shook it. "Dumbass," he repeated, issuing the word in a whisper. "That's all you've ever been, and all you'll ever be."

No one said anything. No one spoke anything, thought anything. Heads were lowered as tears fell, and hearts sank into an oblivion. Nero gritted his teeth as the throne room became unbearably cold, despite the warmth flowing between several hearts. The novice only allowed several minutes to pass before he snapped his eyes open, and broke the silence. Hands balled into fists, he stormed towards Snow and lifted him off the ground.

"What happened to our motto, huh?"

The sadness flowing tnrough Snow's eyes couldn't have been any sweeter. "Wha? Our motto?"

"Yeah, our motto! Team Nora's motto! What happened, Snow? Don't tell me you forgot it!"

Light flooded Snow's heart, and the hearts of his companions. Light gave birth to many tearful smiles. Nero never once attached himself to Team Nora, let alone any other team! "I thought nothing could stop us," the novice slayer said, speaking at the top of his lungs. "I thought we were invincible! Where there's a will, there's a way! Right?!"

Lady and Lebreau exchanged a radiant, watery smile. A smile grew on Snow's face as sunshine spread through a dark horizon. However, before the stallion could issue a response, two familiar faces rushed into the throne room. "He's gone," one of the faces said, earning a look of alarm from Nero. "He's dead! You have taken the life of our king!"

Gadot and Maqui placed themselves protectively in front of Nero. "Our sovereign has fallen," the other face said, raising his choice of weapon. "That young bladesman took him from us!"

"Now wait just a minute," the burly Gadot said, raising his fists. "If you want Nero, you're gonna have to come through us! Nobody messes with a pal of mine and gets away with it!"

"Yeah! No one's gonna mess with Nero! Back off!"

Nero found himself smiling after Snow's admirer spoke, arms outstretched and face firm. Sunshine poured into his heart at such a rate, it overflowed-and it showed, clearly on the face that had suffered so much. "Your companion killed our king," the first sentinel said furiously, raising his firearm. "And for that, he will earn the eternal appreciation of this kingdom!"

Gadot dropped his fists. "Uh, is 'appreciation' some sort of code for 'execution' or something?"

"I think they're rather pleased with what we've done, sweetheart," Lady said with sugary sweet delight, eyeing the bewildered member of Team Nora. "Nobody's going to mess with anyone. Our friends the sentinels weren't too fond of their head honcho."

Before anyone could ask the inevitable question, one of the sentinels provided the required information. "King Dilandou was a cruel ruler," he explained, voice much softer. "He appeared to be sweet and kind, only to lure his subjects into a false sense of security!"

"Must've been how he lured Dante into the Vault," Yuge muttered to Nero, and the novice hunter nodded.

"He killed hundreds of souls, in order to remove all opposition," the sentinel went on, hand over his heart. "He gave no mercy to anyone! If anyone opposed any of his sanctions, they were promptly executed-or forced into captivity!"

"Captivity?" Lady and Lebreau asked simultaneously, exchanging a wide-eyed look of shock. The sentinel continued, nodding passionately.

"Yes, milady! Captivity! He wished to beat your friend into submission, then add him to his list of captives! Now that our horrible king has fled from this realm, we all can live in peace, including your friend!"

"Didja hear that, Snow?" Gadot asked cheekily, nudging his oldest friend in the ribs as two sentinels rushed into the palace, apparently eager to share joyous news. "The king wanted to get busy with you!"

"Whatever," the Villiers said, brushed off his friend's hand. "Like you would have allowed that to happen. I can't believe our newest teammate is responsible for saving an entire kingdom!"

"I didn't try to save anything," an irritated novice said, looking as if he had been forced to eat housefly carcasses. "Now, before I end up becoming a household name, there's something I'd like you to answer. What do we do now, captain?"

"What else?" a beaming Snow said, punching a fist into his right hand. "We move forward."

Radiant smiles showed no opposition to that decision.


	5. A Little Bit of Hope

Thank you for dropping into the fifthh chapter of 'Dawnwind'! I will always appreciate your support, and hope you will continue to enjoy my tale.

These notes are being written after the completion of the following chapter. Having completed this chapter, and working on a few scenes during a brainstorming session, I actually thought of the Nero/Snow pairing. Not just a friend pairing, but something more.

Then I thought of Dante.

I bet a certain someone's going to be surprised by a surprise addition to Snow's band. XD Enjoy!

* * *

Desmund City was more of an amusement park than a city. Whether it was night or day, its streets were lined with joyous children-children of all ages. Races from different edges of the universe flocked to Desmund, including restless Nalanilians and Mana'kilians. Balloons were cast into the air in clouds, vendors sold their goods from carts, and vibrant music was played over a widespread intercom system. The city was a much-needed breath of fresh air, in comparison to the strained, excitable city of Nalanil.

Nighttime had fallen over Desmund, draping itself over the city as a gentle cerulean blanket. Stars had been cast by doting angels, and each one glimmered with unbreakable rapture. Snow initially regretted his decision to make an immediate departure from Nalanil, uncomfortable with leaving behind its restless citizens. Nalanil's citizens and sentinels assured him of their safety, though, having been rid of their king. With that knowledge snug inside of his mind, the commander of Team Nora led his squadron to the next city: Desmund. Nero was able to escape his adoring fans, thanks to his commander's decision. No one had to suffer any delays.

Desmund might have been a ballroom of jubilance, but its merry qualities disturbed a certain stallion. Snow found himself unable to sit still, due to the similiarites between Desmund and a familiar city. Having fireworks course through Desmund's night sky didn't lighten any burdens. He could do nothing but think of the night he shared with Serah, soaring through a star-strewn sky on his motorbike. The fireworks were glorious, a smiling Serah declared her joy over their 'private Heaven'-

Dante. Dante, Dante, Dante. Where was he? What was he thinking? Would he ever smile again?

Dante.

Snow put a hand against his forehead, shutting his eyes. Sitting across from Nero, he had his elbow propped up on their table. The two of them were sitting underneath a star-strewn sky of fireworks, desolate shards amidst rapturous crowds. Neither of them were much for chatting, while their other companions were out and about. They were all for remaining with their friends, but the Villiers urged them to actually have a bit of fun. His band had been through so much, he wouldn't have forgiven himself if none of them had been given a chance to breathe.

He tried to send Nero off, but prying him off was harder than prying a building apart with a bobby pin.

All outsiders instantly assumed Nero was Snow's bodyguard. The young slayer earned glances and smiles, sitting across from Snow with folded arms. The entire world annoyed him to no end, proven by the look on his face, and he was prepared to snipe anyone that even thought of approaching Snow. The two of them had Goleth burgers and fries sitting before them, but Nero's burger would forever remain half-eaten. The novice slayer took a few bites, none too impressed with the burger in the first place, and dismissed it. He was no different from a cat playing with an old toy. Snow couldn't stop smiling over Nero's apparent disgust, remembering how the devil slayer practically swallowed two of his homemade Goleth burgers several nights ago.

When Dante was still a part of the team.

At least there was something to smile over. And it was impossible to ignore the comical look on Nero's face. Arms folded and face tightened, he looked very much like a disenchanted cat. Crowds swelled around them, purchasing chocobo cakes and balloons as the two of them shared each other's company. No longer comfortable with their tense silence, Snow used Nero's divorce from the Goleth burger as an ice breaker.

"You aren't going to eat that, are you?"

If Nero had bared a set of claws, Snow wouldn't have been surprised. The Villiers actually expected him to hiss. "I didn't think so," the stallion said while chuckling. Nero threw him a few darts.

"Seen any chocobos? They might be interested in this pack of-"

A blushing Snow raised two hands. "Come on, Nero, there are children here!"

Rolling his eyes, Nero made a 'pffh' sound. "Nothing good comes out of hiding the truth," he said, pawing at his fries. Snow slumped back in his seat with folded arms.

No argument there.

For several minutes, neither of them spoke. Snow's eyes darted all over the place, while Nero's eyes set the world on fire. The chatter of invigorated souls danced around them, oblivious to their inner reflections on recent events. Moments passed before Nero ordered a barricade of arrows to strike Snow, as a result of the Villiers' facial expression. "What?" the younger male asked, inquiring after his friend's thoughts. The blonde gasped, caught off guard. Momentarily stunned, he looked as if Nero had thrown the question at someone else. He then provided an answer.

"I was thinking of possible directions for us to take, and...well, I think we should hit up Fortuna City."

Nero instantly recoiled as if Snow had unsheathed a dagger. Uncomfortable with his friend's facial expression, Snow held up his hands in surrender. "We'll be able to find out more if we head to a huge source of information," he explained nervously. "Considering everything I've heard, Fortuna's a bank of data. We'll be able to investigate the Gates, Vergil and everything else we need to look into."

"You know," the novice slayer said calmly, playing with one of his fries. "If you wanted to drop in on Fortuna for Dante's sake, things would be different. I wouldn't be pissed if you wanted to hit up Arkham."

"Don't forget the leads we have on your old friend. Didn't you tell me he operates out of Fortuna?"

Nero used his fry to poke at his half-eaten burger. "Not buyin' it, pal," he said, rolling his eyes. Snow's blue eyes melted, adopting babyish sadness in the process. He opened his mouth to battle against his friend's anger, but the devil slayer released a heavy sigh.

"I bet you'd jump at the chance to set up a family reunion between me, Dante and Vergil. You're playin' the part of Peacekeeper, pal, and I'm not particularly fond of that role."

"You don't have to talk to her if you don't want to," Snow said, in a way that caused Nero's heart to plummet into the pit of his stomach. The slayer's anger softened, and his eyes fell onto a painting of unhappiness. Nero inwardly cursed his friend's birth.

All Snow had to do was pull the 'puppy' card, and he could control even the universe.

"We'll ask around for info on the Gibraltar Order, and Dante's family. We'll get a lot done there, and move on."

The face of a defeated parent plastered itself all over Nero's face. Before the novice slayer could give into the Villiers' charms, the voice of a rather young man made an interception.

"Hey Snow! Didn't expect to see you here!"

Inwardly scolding himself for dropping his guard, Nero turned to the newcomer with wide, fiery eyes. The speaker was a male that couldn't have been any more than fifteen years old, equipped with a head of short golden hair and soft eyes. Snow acknowledged him with a look that hovered between regret, guilt and happiness.

"Hey there. What are you doing here?"

"I'm here with my dad," the little male replied with a wave, approaching their table. Smiling, he eyed Nero. "I see you've made a new friend," he said to Team Nora's commander. "What are you doing, just hanging out?"

"If I didn't know any better," the novice slayer snapped, cutting into Snow's half-hearted response. "I'd say he's an ex-boyfriend of yours, judging by the look on your face."

Snow was never one for confrontations, and his discomfort was clear. His eyes darted between Nero and the smallest male, filled with worry. "Now wait a minute, Nero," he said quickly, in a desperate attempt to soften his friend's disgust. Meanwhile, the little male looked to Snow with wide, bewildered eyes.

The Villiers didn't enjoy being trapped in the middle.

"Everything's fine."

"Doesn't seem like it," Dante's pupil snarled instantly, sitting back in his chair. He appeared to be calm, but Snow knew he was anything but tranquil. "Don't take me for a dumbass, Snow. I have the senses of a mutt. Your friend's making you uncomfortable, and I don't like it."

Despair swelled inside of the stallion's heart. Meanwhile, balloons and fireworks flooded the air. "It's all right, Nero," he said, soft yet urgent. Instantly unearthing Snow's absence of denial, Nero threw the little male a bag of darts.

The darts were returned in a flash.

"We're all here to have fun, right? So let's just relax. Besides, it's always fun to make new friends."

A ticking time bomb resigned himself to silence, eyes darting all over the place. The small male took a seat at the stallion's side, keeping his eyes on the silent hunter. The picture they created was anything but peaceful. Snow was akin to a deer fleeing from a malicious hunter, Nero was akin to an enraged vampire, and the little male didn't know what to make of the novice's actions. "Nero, Hope," Team Nora's commander said, using his hand to complete the unstable introductions. "Hope, Nero."

The one named Hope looked to Nero, awaiting some sort of response.

Nero smiled.

"We're here on vacation," Hope said, instantly removing his attention from the beaming devil slayer. Evidently, he wasn't too fond of blood-thirsty cats. "Dad and I thought it would be fun to get out and breathe. What about you?"

Unable to soften Nero's mood, and bearing heavier images of recent developments, Snow released a soft sigh. "Long story short, I'm trying to save two very important lives. I think I have a knack for screwing around with people...without even realizing it."

Hope's eyes were ablaze with concern. "Is Serah with you guys?"

For reasons that were far too painful to think of, Snow winced at the mention of a certain name. "I'm afraid she isn't," he said, shaking his head. "She's one of the lives we're trying to save."

Hope threw another look to Nero, only to end up without success. The demon hunter had stopped smiling, but now had his arms folded, head bowed and eyes shut. "Don't tell me she was snagged with Lightning," he said to the stallion. Snow shook his head vehemently, akin to a canine trying to dry himself off.

"She's fine. You know she can take care of herself."

"We're searching for Serah and a jackass named Dante," Nero cut in sharply, eyes still shut. "Both of them were 'snagged' by Snow's new friends. I'm all that's left of the Dynamic Demon Hunting Duo, but I'm pitching in for Snow's team."

Hope's eyes were brighter than Christmas trees. "This is perfect," he declared, akin to an archaeologist that had just discovered a mythical city. Snow, alarmed by a sudden burst of glee, widened his eyes with a frail smile.

"I've been hoping for the chance to meet you again, so I could help you out with something! I actually dreamt of helping you out, Snow! My dream has come true!"

Struck by a sudden wave of exhaustion, Snow covered his eyes with a hand. "Nero," he said after a moment, weariness slathered all over his gentle voice. "Would you mind taking five? Meet up with me at the hotel later."

The devil slayer rose out of his chair. 'Take five' was Nora's code for 'taking off'. "Are you sure you'll be all right?" the novice asked, eyeing an apprehensive Hope. Still bearing a horribly weak smile, Snow punched a fist into his right palm.

"I'll be fine! Stop worrying about me for a second and have fun. You deserve it, after everything you've been through."

Giving a final glare to Hope, Nero resigned himself to temporary defeat. Without another word, the devil slayer swept his food tray into his hands, turned his back on the duo and walked off. A blushing Snow smiled at the sight of a waste-conscious Nero, not expecting him to carry off his dismissed food. Noticing the look on Hope's face, Snow gave the little male a thumbs-up.

"Don't worry about him. He's a good guy-just always on edge. Now, tell me more about this dream of yours."

* * *

This was composed to 'Mi'ihen Highroad' and 'Besaid' of Final Fantasy X.


	6. Blinded by Fate

Hey howdy hey, as Woody of Pixar's 'Toy Story' would say! And yes, these notes are being crafted after the completion of the following chapter. I have to say I'm rather proud of this chapter, because of the Nero/Kyrie arc. I installed another one of Dante's lady friends into the tale, and I am enamoured with a certain couple's undertones.

Off to the drawing board. Wish me luck!

This chapter was written to 'Odno I to Zhe', a German/Russian song. A song I've been infatuated with. XD I've been having a lot of fun composing this tale, and imagining it in Final Fantasy style. Battles and town exploration are equally fun to work with, bwah ha.

For the sake of this tale, I had Dante, Lady and Trish set up 'Devil May Cry' in Kyrie's home city.

* * *

'Uncomfortable' didn't provide justice to the situation.

Nero was hostile towards Snow's 'Peacekeeper' title, and never hesitated to show it. Of course, the recipient of the stallion's hospitality received the brunt of slayer's anger. He rarely spoke to the newest member of Snow's band, and whenever the two of them exchanged words, their conversation was a fleeting moment in time. Their words were awash in anger, but bewilderment accompanied Hope's words. Nero was simply disgusted by Snow's latest decision.

Gadot, Lady and the others were kept in the dark. None of them knew the low-down behind Hope, or even behind Nero. Did the devil slayer know of Hope's past with Snow? Would the past emerge inside of the present? They resigned themselves to time's cryptic flow, knowing the mighty force would reveal everything they needed to know. Snow's discomfort was certainly clear, though. Their leader wasn't too fond of tension, especially when it prevented two members of the same team from getting along.

After receiving permission from his doting father, Hope prepared himself for a grand journey. As Nero pitted his frustration against Snow, Dante's newest liberator packed only the necessary materials for another amazing adventure. Having gone through his first adventure with Lightning, and in dire need of redemption in Snow's eyes, the little one didn't take long in bracing himself. His first journey had thrown him into some dense changes, but the changes in his personality were ignored by a livid devil slayer.

The rest of the gang didn't know it, but Nero knew of Snow's past clashes. The blonde stallion, always wanting to honor the policy of honesty, shared everything with his friend in the middle of the night. The two of them were akin to frustrated parents, pondering the possibility of a new houseguest.

Nero, of course, was on the opposing side.

As soon as Snow's tale came to an end, Nero made a decision. And that decision was made perfectly clear.

_"Remember this. You may have forgiven him, but I'm not budging an inch. I'm not going to play 'buddy buddy' with someone that tried to kill you."_

Those words cut through the night-and Hope heard every last one of them.

Hours passed before their world was painted in sunshine. Hope strangely kept himself near Snow, while Nero temporarily cast off his role as Snow's shadow. The novice might have kept himself at a distance, but that didn't dampen his vigil over Team Nora's commander. A confused Gadot, a pensive Lady and an apprehensive Lebreau observed the interactions between the three. Yuge and Maqui hardly knew what to think, or how to approach the odd situation.

Another problem to add onto their list of problems.

Oh well. At least no one had to explain the story of Dante and Serah to Hope. Snow took the liberty of providing an explanation during last night's festivities.

Snow voiced his decision to visit Fortuna City, and with the exception of Nero, not a single member of his team dismissed the decision. Lady's teleportation ability added to good fortune. She explained how she could transport not only herself, but a small party to places she visited in the past. After the team indulged themselves in a hearty breakfast, and prepared only the bare necessities, Dante's business partner did what she had to do. Immense energy was channeled through her body, and she had the group join hands. Crystal white light swelled underneath them, and before any of them could blink, all of them found themselves amidst grand buildings. Airships soared through the golden orange sky, racing towards their fated destinations.

Nero registered everything in a flash. Wincing, he sent his eyes on a rapid examination. Not much had changed from his last visit, other than the completion of renovations. Sanctus had done an incredible amount of damage to the city, ruining not only a great deal of buildings but lives as well. Inwardly he rejoiced at the city's bright, exuberant aura.

Spirits were high, but the effects of Dante's absence were painfully obvious. Lady, having been close to the master hunter for quite a while, hardly spoke. She kept up a smile, but it was easy to see how that difficult it was to maintain that smile. She'd never admit it out loud (making her akin to Nero), but she missed him. The team saw how much she missed him once she made a suggestion.

"While we're here, we might as well hit up the shop. Trish wants to check out our grand commander."

Snow looked as if he wished to inquire after Trish's knowledge, but dismissed the inquiry with a sigh. He exchanged an inquisitive glance with the young Maqui, then returned his eyes to Lady. "You're referring to the shop you share with Dante, right?" he asked, akin to a children heading into a death camp. Eyes wielding unmistakable sadness, the short-haired maiden nodded.

"Right. Trish has digging on her end of the spectrum, trying to see if she can use her worthless ass to help us. She jumped right on our little problem as soon as I shared it with her. Couldn't keep herself still, so she decided to get up and move."

Lebreau, who happened to be standing at Snow's left flank, earned a wide-eyed look from Hope. "If Trish knows Dante," he began, eyes lowering onto the ground. "There's no reason for me to be afraid. Right?"

The eyes of Snow's teammate were warmer than sunshine. "You've got that right, pumpkin. We're still in good hands here."

The team took several steps in silence, but then Nero broke away. The young Estheim was the first to be alarmed, wondering if the novice slayer would turn down an event over his presence. "What's up?" Gadot asked, eyes awash in concern. Shouldering his blade, the young hunter answered with deceptive nonchalence.

"Just thought I'd hit up an old waterhole of mine. Might run into an encyclopedia."

Snow's blue moons lit up with happiness, but joy was not without dark sorrow. "Want me to come along?" he asked, and before he could issue the perfect reason for his presence, Nero held up a hand. Hope observed their exchange as if it were a ping-pong match, wanting to see just how close Nero was to Snow-and how much the young slayer respected him. "No thanks," the silver haired swordsman said, putting forth a rare kind of smile.

"I'm cool. Hit up the shop without me."

He turned his back, threw a wave of his shoulder, and melted into Fortuna's sunshine. The smallest member of Snow's team attempted to rush after him, but was restrained by a gentle pair of arms. "We'll meet up with him later," Gadot said, looking straight into the Estheim's fearful eyes. "Then you can ask him all about his little adventure."

"Where does he think he's going?" Lady asked no one in particular, placing all of her weight onto one foot. Not the smallest bit of frustration or disgust sat on her face. There was only affection, bright and bubbly. Snow answered her with an equally warm smile, giving him a thumbs-up.

"Oh, nowhere in particular. He just has to visit an old friend."

Three words crossed his mind before his eyes returned to the road ahead.

_Please be all right._

* * *

The band walked underneath Fortuna's golden ether, silent in the midst of fervent activity. Citizens and visitors alike attended to the day's wishes, either enjoying the sights or taking care of business. Snow and his companions earned glances of admiration, as the world realized the depth of their bond. They struck a mighty admirable portrait, despite the painful reflections they had to wallow through.

Twenty minutes elapsed before the squadron arrived at their destination. Lady remained at the front of the group, eyeing the environment for any disturbances. Gadot placed a comforting hand on Snow's shoulder, seeing the quick elevation of his friend's distress. The shop Lady had spoken of was right there, run-down and ragged but special. Brown but radiant, humble but precious.

And devoid of its owner.

Lady said nothing but scanned the environment, evidently on the search for her missing partner. Snow and the others piled in behind her, none too comfortable with the setting. Hope attached himself to Gadot's leg, feeling as if they had entered a graveyard.

With a heavy heart and moist eyes, Snow took a good look. While his friends walked as if they were tourists viewing a weighty piece of history, he felt empty. Horridly empty. The blonde stallion felt as if he had stepped into a ghost house, a place that had once been filled with joy. A rickety, unstable ceiling fan churned, while the marks of discarded pizza slept on ragged brown walls. The faint scent of pepperoni swamped the air, while sheets of paper littered the floor. A weathered boombox sat on a coffee table, empty pizza boxes spoke to discarded piles of paper-

"Well well well. Who knew someone would have this effect on our ol' Dante?"

Alarmed by the entrance of a new voice, the Villiers gasped. Several pairs of eyes fell onto an ascending figure, one that wished to emerge from the shadows of Dante's shop. "Never thought I'd see the day," the same figure purred, then licked her fingers. "Don't blame him, though. This guy's really cute."

"Sorry, no brothers," Lady said instantly, with a toss of her head. Disappointment swamped her bewitching voice. "Or sisters. I already asked. And he's not into threesomes."

Trish stuck out her tongue. "Ugh. What a waste."

Smiling, Hope stepped away from the safety of his circle. "I'm Hope. Hope Estheim," he said, pointing a thumb at himself. "It's very nice to meet you, Miss Trish."

The blonde maiden lowered her gaze, in order to perform a quick, complete examination of her newest friend. She was momentarily wide-eyed from awe, then replaced that awe with adoration. "Nice to meet you too, peanut," she said, pouring out honey with each of her syllables. "Glad to see our Snow's in good company. Oh, but you can do away with the 'Miss', though. Don't need formalities."

"Name's Gadot," a lovestruck puppy said, using a thumb to point at himself. "I've got the lovely Lebreau, Yuge and Maqui with me. Glad we're meeting up, Trish."

Trish's blue eyes flickered, wielding a great deal of warm amusement. She exchanged a quick glance with Lady, then returned her eyes to the group. "Where's the pup?" she asked, earning an inquisitive glance from Hope. He promptly recovered from a blow of confusion, realizing Trish wasn't referring to him. "He's visiting someone," the Villiers said, realizing his voice was weighed down by tears. "And that someone might be able to help us."

Trish plopped herself onto a desk with a sigh. "I still can't believe this is happening," she said, kicking her feet to and fro. "I mean, come on. After everything I heard about love being a waste of time, he goes and has himself thrown into the bowels of Hell. I'm not talkin' about his hometown, either. He's in a brand new Hell!"

Taking Snow by the arm, Maqui presented a question. "Are you familiar with the Vault?" he asked, his voice no different from a tiny puppy's whimper. Trish eyed him as a vampire would eye a delectable young neck.

"Yes I am, sweetie, but here's the bad news. The Vault's aftershow is off-limits to everyone without a ticket."

"What do you mean?" a worried Snow asked, and instantly earned a grin from the blonde maiden.

"After someone throws walks through a certain pair of doors, there's no turning back. You choose to watch the show, and have yourself turned over to darkness. You actually become one with the darkness, from what I've heard."

"And that bastard of a king opened the doors," Gadot snarled, earning a look of anxiety from Hope. Snow pressed on, shocking Trish with the passion behind his voice. "What about these stories?" he asked, dangerously close to tears. "Where is he? Is he lost in the darkness?"

For the first time in her life, Trish had the face of a regretful, saddened mother. Snow was the child that had just lost his pet canary, and couldn't understand the concept of death. "Hate to break it to ya, rabbit, but yes, he is," she said, then bit her bottom lip. "The bedtime stories are true. That moron's gone, and all because he fell in love with you."

"He isn't gone," Hope snapped, instantly stepping forward with balled hands. "We'll get him back, you'll see! The stories will be just scary stories after all!"

The Estheim earned a sea of immensely appreciative smiles, the warmest one coming from Snow. Trish beamed at Snow's smallest teammate, thoroughly impressed. "I was hoping I'd hear that from one of you," she purred, eyes shining. A scowling Hope puffed out his chest.

"Don't rub salt into people's wounds! It just makes you seem like a real creep!"

Admiration blossomed in Hope's audience. "Sounds like we've got Mini-Nero on our hands," a grinning Gadot said, nudging Yuge in the ribs. Yuge, although moved by his newest friend's valor, lowered his head sadly.

"Yeah. Too bad Nero isn't here to see this."

"Screw 'Hope'," Lady said, lowering herself to peer into Hope's face. "You should've been called 'Fireball'!"

"The link's been broken," Trish said, still glowing over her pint-sized opponent. "At least my link has been broken, anyway. Can you get through to him?"

Realizing the questions were directed at her, a defeated Lady eyed the floor. "I can't get anything through to him," she said with a shrug. "The last time we had a little chat, he asked me to hitch it on over to Team Snow. Said he didn't want to send you because you'd traumatize his boyfriend."

"He knows me all too well," a feline purred, hopping off of Dante's desk. Folding her arms across her breasts, she leaned into Snow's face.

"Follow me down the Yellow Brick Road, Snow. While I might not be able to dig anything up for you, I know someone with a lot of goods."

* * *

In another part of Fortuna, a shard of Snow's team moved forward. He moved deeper into territory he never thought he'd enter again, surprising himself with each step. Astonishment bubbled inside of him as he coursed through the dark embers of time, wondering if his heart would ever cease its incredibly loud rhythm.

If it hadn't been for a friend's encouragement, he would have kept himself out of 'Headquarters'.

Yes. It was all Snow's fault. As far as he was concerned, everything was Snow's fault. His vulnerability was Snow's fault. His heart's intense rhythm was Snow's fault. His decision to confront her was his fault. Everything was Snow's fault, but...

He didn't have any complaints. Wouldn't have complained if someone thrust a gun barrel against his head.

The novice hunter smirked, eyeing the world around him with distaste. Crystal chandeliers still hung from the black ceiling, while floor-to-ceiling portraits of Sanctus littered the walls. Candleflames danced in the day's silent tranquility, betraying the tension that dwelled within. He walked on, trying to ignore the boiling flames inside of him, but found himself wishing for a certain presence. His discomfort increased as he grew closer to a pool of light.

That pool of light centered around a rather familiar figure.

The figure was a maiden-a young, beautiful maiden heavy with child. She was a solitary figure, but stood underneath the golden heavens without fear. Red tresses were tied into the usual ponytail, held back by a silky white ribbon. A familiar white dress sat on her petite frame, and a heart-shaped pendant rested between her breasts. She was in the middle of a self-conducted sermon, praising the heavens she had devoted herself to. Approaching her, Nero felt his insides curdle. He cursed himself at the restoration of old, feverish emotions, but allowed them to rise nevertheless.

Sensing an oncoming figure, the maiden lifted her head with a gasp. Nero returned to the past, feeling as if he had been transported back into time by a thousand leagues. Back through time without Dante, Lebreau, Lady, Gadot-

Back through time without Snow.

"What are you doing here? Get away from me!"

Her voice was shrill, ablaze with fear. Serenity fled the entire vicinity. "Get away from me," the maiden repeated, reeling away from her intruder. "I don't want you near me, Nero!"

"I'm not here to hurt you," the novice slayer said, arms outstretched. He took her place underneath the light, completely docile-and painfully exposed to all attacks. He was an animal without a centimeter of fur, and barely had any skin.

"I'm just here to see you, Kyrie! Just let me talk to you!"

"I thought I told you to go away! I don't want you around anymore, Nero!"

_**"Why?!"**_

Every muscle, once again, devoted itself to the expulsion of grief. Tears rushed from a well of deep, coming from reddened eyes. "Why won't you even look at me?!" a torn wolf cried. _"Why have you left me, Kyrie?! Why?! Why did you leave me, after everything we've been through?!"_

As he spoke, Kyrie held her hands against her ears. "Stop it," she repeated, vehemently shaking her head. "Stop it stop it stop it! I don't want to hear your voice anymore! I want you out of my life, Nero!"

_"Tell me! Tell me why, Kyrie! Why am I suddenly so ugly to you?!"_

Using the word 'ugly' almost brought him to his knees. He had never used that word to attack himself, and never expected himself to. Tears threatened to swallow him whole, stemming from the grief that boiled inside of him. Grief rose to such a feverish point, it became almost impossible for him to ignore the need to vomit. "Why can't you look at me?!" he shouted, fury echoing throughout the regal halls. "What's wrong with me, Kyrie?!"

"Everything," the maiden replied instantly, hands still against her ears. She was so desperate to escape from a predator-and the proof of her desperation blazed through her voice. "I just don't like you, Nero! Everything's off about you! I thought we'd be all right, but you're different! Too different from everyone else! You aren't even human!"

Every word was a slap-no, a brick-to his face. He reeled away from her as she spoke, clinging to her words. "You're a monster, Nero," Kyrie sobbed, huddled up into a trembling ball. "You're an ugly, hideous beast, and you can offer me nothing! You're worthless to me, Nero!"

He couldn't do anything but blink. His eyelids might have been able to move, but the rest of his body was completely frozen. Wide-eyed and trapped in time, Nero couldn't do anything but blink and stare. Kyrie remained in her ball, hoping her greatest nightmare would flee. "Awww, what a t-t-t-terrible sight to see," a male's voice cooed, breaking through the silence. Nero stiffened, regaining his ability to function.

"The t-t-t-tragic tale of t-t-t-two y-y-young lovers. Almost m-m-makes me want to cry!"

The eyes of Dante's student darkened.

_I know that voice._

In a flash he rushed over to Kyrie's balled-up form. Wrapping his arms around the sobbing figure, he sent his eyes on a rapid examination of the vicinity. "I thought that dumbass killed you," the young one roared, voice resonanting through the halls of Headquarters. "Come on out and show yourself, Agnus!"

"With p-p-p-pleasure, my y-y-young friend!"

Nero didn't have a second of reaction time. Tentacles broke through the wall behind him, forced him away from Kyrie and pinned him to the wall. A tearful Kyrie darted away from the scene, rushing to a familiar figure's side. That figure cast her a smile, then returned his full attention to his prey. Thrusting out a hand, he ordered the tentacles to pierce his target's heart.

All of that happened with a flash.

As the tentacles buried themselves deeper into a bleeding heart, they drained a young body of its energy. Cries tore themselves out of the prey's soul, long and loud. "It's always wonderful to see you, Nero," a familiar voice said, as nauseating pain bashed the novice's skull. His captor draped an arm about a sobbing maiden, who had bundled herself into his arms.

"Too bad our little reunion has to be cut short!"

Yamato was surely in danger of disappearing, and Kyrie was in the arms of an old enemy. Energy was draining out of him, ebbing out of him, and Kyrie was in the arms of an enemy.

Pain was swallowing him, and Kyrie didn't care.

"Kyrie! Kyrieeeeeeee!"

"Cry all you want, my little munchkin," Agnus said sweetly, hand still held out in instruction for the tentacles. His prey continued to cry out, tears scorching his body-and the earth beneath him.

"Your prayers are falling on deaf ears! I'm afraid you're the Tenth Gatekeeper, and you're going to open your assigned Gate!"

Light swallowed him. He caught his lasts glimpses of Kyrie, who had buried her head inside Agnus' chest. A million tears spilled out of his opened heart and onto the floor, joining his blood and the light of a dark realm. No matter how much he'd cry, there would never be enough tears. No matter how much he'd cry, there would never be enough time to show the world his pain.

"Snow...S-S-Snow...Snow..."

Snow. Snow was back at Dante's new shop, pining over Dante. Snow was with Gadot, Hope, Lady, and the others.

Snow didn't care. He might not have been like Kyrie, but he didn't care. He was in pursuit of Dante. He-

Was warm, kind, loving. Eternally loyal. Painfully loyal. Compassionate. Sweet. Brave.

"S-S-Snow...Snow! Snooooooow! _Aaaaaaaauggghhhhh! Help me, please! Please, Snow! Aaaaaahhhh!"_

There were tears, so many tears. Too many tears to count. His heart was nothing more than an exposed, bleeding mass, torn apart by the hands of Hell's chieftain. Light was swelling around him, accompanied by his own blood. He must've been torn in over a thousand places. It certainly felt that way. The pain was endless. Immeasurable. Cold. Intolerable. His skin was ravaged, veins and bones were pierced-

_**"Snow! Snoooooow! Please! Aaaaaaaahhh! Where are you?! Help meeee!"**_

"Don't you get it, you little punk?!" Agnus shouted above the melee, rapturous over his prey's suffering. "You aren't the Gatekeeper because of your pretty little Kyrie! You were given this task because of your feelings for that brute! You're in love with your captain, your boy toy, your sweet little Snow! Blame all of this on him, you little fool!"

He would find out. He would find out and have his heart shattered. He already had to deal with Dante. Discovering the Tenth Gatekeeper's story would only make things harder-much too hard to deal with.

Snow already had enough to deal with. Nero had to keep everything quiet. Had to-

"Shut it, pisshole! I'm NEVER pinning anything on him!"

"Oh, just shut up and die already! The quicker you move onto the next world, the quicker your fantasies can begin!"

Something was torn out of his chest. The warm, heavenly smile of a stallion flashed across his mind before darkness swallowed him. Objects allowed him to fall to the floor with a thud, plummeting into a thick pool of his own blood. Laughter brushed against his ears as he laid there, fingers pawing at his crimson fluid. "Almost there," a distant voice said, cackling with triumph. "I only need to push a little more-agh!"

His eyelids closed over tearful orbs. Footsteps were distant, but they seemed to be rushing into the church. Kyrie issued the words 'Agnus, look', and must've been pointing at something-or someone. "Snow," he whispered, but the last voice he heard didn't belong to Snow.

It belonged to Hope.

"Back off, bastard, if you know what's good for you!"


	7. Blinded by Light

Welcome to lucky chapter number seven. XD I've been through a pretty stressful week, but things are (hopefully) going to calm down from this point on. Thanks for joining me on this grand, amazing adventure!

Yes, the following chapter has been completed, and to tell you the truth, I'm rather proud of it. I had no idea what to do with it at the start, but thanks to Masashi Hamauzu's 'Blinded by Light', I was able to pull a LOT of magic out of my hat! I was also inspired by a very close friend, who said in his last review to expect the unexpected. I said that once to him, but now I know I can't drop those expectations. But just so you know, the whole shpeal with Hope and Alexander (I intentionally changed the spelling, for the sake of Hope's customization) came out of absolutely nowhere.

Oh, and just so you know, especially if you've read my profile, I DO like Hope. I think he's an adorable character with a sweet voice. I just don't appreciate his psychotic obsession towards Snow's death, featured in XIII. Thus, my removal of his aversion towards Snow.

So! I've got Dante/Snow, Snow/Serah, Nero/Snow AND Nero/Hope! What have I done?! What am I going to do?! All I've got to say is: _THANKS BOSS!_

He might have been small, but his valor compensated for his lack of size. Into the church's lobby he rushed, heading towards a fallen devil slayer. Through fierce waves of light he ran, golden brown wisps brushing his forehead. His arms pumped as windmills, carrying him through a sea of potentially fatal danger. The cries of Nero's tormentor scorched his ears, followed by the shrieks of a demon, and the battle cries of his infinitely loyal companion. He had summoned the embodiment of his heart, and that entity was lashing out against Nero's captor.

The beast of many tentacles, having made a complete departure from the wall, engaged his Summon in a duel. Agnus' partner-in-crime was truly a hellish beast, thrashing about with its blood-stained arms. He threw a swift glance to Alexandyr, using his eyes to ask after his Summon's courage. The divine beast, with nothing more than a glance, assured his owner of unwavering determination. Onward he pressed, clashing against the beast Agnus had summoned. Meanwhile, Agnus himself had his arms high in the air. His alternative, malicious demeanor had been replaced with the timid, shaky persona of a fearful child.

"Wh-wh-what's going on here?! Who are you p-p-people?!"

No more than a few inches away from Nero, Hope faced Agnus with a defiant glance. "We're here to save this guy," he said, placing himself protectively in front of the fallen novice. Without giving any more acknowledgement to Kyrie's lover, the child returned his focus to Alexandyr. "Keep at it," he shouted, voice ringing through the halls as an eagle's cry. Hope Estheim might have been small, but he was an authoritative soul.

"Don't cut him at any slack! Drive him away!"

The regal Summon threw his head back, and released a cry of affirmation. Hope kept his eyes on Alexandyr, all the while thinking of a silent demon hunter. As if they had been able to hear his fears, several companions rushed onto the scene. Gadot, Trish and Lady bolted to Nero's aid, while the others occupied themselves with the three opposing forces: Agnus, Kyrie and Hell's beast. Snow, standing in front of three other companions, shouted out to the opposing trio.

"What have you monsters done?! How could you even think of tormenting such a pure soul?!"

Much to Snow's surprise, Kyrie stepped out of Agnus' protective arms. She spoke in Agnus' place, wrath and horror slathered all over her voice. "Pure?! How could you possibly call someone like Nero 'pure'?! Are you insane?!"

Stunned, the blonde stallion studied her for a moment. Hope's instructions, Alexandyr's roars and even the cries of Agnus' beast faded into ephemeral obscurity. Snow then found himself in the presence of wrath, eyes wielding fires they had never captured before. "I think someone made a mistake," he declared, voice quiet but heavy from disgust. He turned his eyes to Agnus, who was clearly uncomfortable with Hope's intervention.

Events elapsed in flashes. With a wave, Snow summoned Gadot to his side. The frontline members of Team Nora dashed towards Agnus, who looked ready to bolt out of the nearest window. Hope continued to guide Alexandyr, purposefully keeping his eyes averted from Nero. Lebreau, Lady and Trish attended to Nero, whose eyes gave off no sign of life. As a battle brewed around them, the trio of maidens hurriedly examined their hunter. Their initial reaction to his condition was immense fear, for they instantly assumed he had been killed. Luckily, that wasn't the case. Trish and Lady exchanged a nod, then the blonde maiden returned her eyes to Nero. "Looks like Agnus pulled the wool over his eyes," she said, her voice surprisingly soft despite the fray. "Nero must've been scared shitless. His creepy crawler bastard dealt out a lot of damage, but nothing fatal."

"If we don't tend his wounds, the situation will change-quickly," Lebreau said, tossing a glance over her shoulder. Hope was still commanding Alexandyr, who obviously had the upper hand over Agnus' friend. The strength and drive of his Summon monster surpassed everything Agnus had brought to the table. Meanwhile, Snow and Gadot were pummeling Agnus. Yuge and Maqui had brought their magic to the frontlines, using it to repel every last one of Kyrie's magic attacks.

"The kid's covered in holes! If something isn't done now, we'll definitely lose him!"

Dante's business partners observed Snow's teammate with wide, curious eyes. Their new friend shut her eyes, and raised her hands over Lady's bundle. Warm, white light swelled around both of her palms. Once she was comfortable the light's intensity, the maiden ran her hands over Nero's body. A white eclipse ensued, and the devil slayer was rid of every last wound. Sadly, he remained unconscious-and his face was strained by pain. A mother's grievous fear pierced the eyes of three maidens, but before anything of them could speak on Nero's condition, something struck the ground with a violent thud. Lebreau, Trish and Lady instantly turned their eyes to Agnus, who was wriggling on the ground as a discarded fish. His summoned beast followed suit. Trish was alarmed by the sight of an astonished Gadot and Snow, who were staring at a rather impressive blade.

The blade had been implanted in Agnus' back.

A weeping Kyrie attempted to rush to her lover's aid, but found herself thrashing against Yuge and Maqui. Snow and his oldest friend kept their eyes locked on the blade, neither of them able to claim ownership over it. "Well well well," a brisk, cheerful voice said, approaching the bewildered group from the shadows. Hope and Alexandyr exchanged a wide-eyed glance.

"Looks like I didn't do a good enough job last time."

"It's about time you showed up," a beaming Trish said, relief flooding her bloodstream. "Lady and I were waiting for you to raise the curtain!"

"Yeah, well, I had to bide my time. You know how it works in the acting field. Have to choose your parts carefully. Can't forget a momentous performance, either."

A pair of handguns were shot off. Lady and Trish exchanged a smile, recognizing the guns. Hearts dropped as a figure emerged from the shadows, twirling both of those guns on his fingers. "Didn't think my brother would pull such a crappy card," the figure said, cloaked in smiles. "I mean, to reincarnate the moron that flaked off last time? Sheesh. Why go through the trouble of re-hiring a nutcase?"

Snow's heart dropped to the floor. The figure had on a stylish red coat, had a head of short silver hair, and carried two guns as if they were his newborn children. The smile, the twinkle in his eyes-it was all there, all familiar, all known-

"Dante. Dante!"

Much against Gadot's distress, the Villiers ran towards the figure in red. Heart pounding, beating, screaming against his chest, the blonde stallion peered into the figure's brown eyes. "Is it really you?" he asked breathlessly, blue orbs drowning in a fusion of emotions: hope, overwhelming euphoria, relief and disbelief. "Are you really okay?"

The devil slayer's face turned into stone. "Not really, Snowflake," he said, looking as if Snow had struck all the wrong chords. "I've been better, but we'll save our counseling session for another time. Right now, we've got a bit of an issue on our hands."

While Maqui and Yuge continued to restrain Kyrie, Lady approached both Snow and Dante. "Nero's the Tenth Gatekeeper," she said, indicating Nero with a toss of her head. She turned to Dante, eyes betraying the joy boiling inside of her. "The kid's friend told us everything back on the road. Agnus tried to tear your student open, in order for him to open the gate."

"Just as Vergil tried to have me open the Ninth Gate," the master hunter said, rubbing his chin. Snow, meanwhile, had the face of a hopelessly lost child.

"Wait a minute! Nero was dragged into this mess over Kyrie?!"

"This isn't over Kyrie, man," Gadot shouted from a distance, floundering before a situation he had no control over. "Hate to break it to you, Snowy, but you're as oblivious as they come!"

Pulling his blade from Agnus' back, Dante felt a warm wave of light over Gadot's voice. "Looks like we've got another contender," he said, warm yet stern. He sheathed the blood-stained blade, looking as if dead bugs had been dumped at his feet. "The thing is, the newcomer to this party is family."

"We've got the makings of a talk show on our hands," Trish purred, whipping out her pair of handguns. As a convulsive Agnus rose to his feet, she braced herself for a second round of attacks. "Listen," she said, directing her words to Dante. "Why don't you save your story for another time? You can explain yourself over tea and cupcakes tonight!"

"I'll just take a cup of joe, thanks," Dante said, adopting an offensive stance. He tossed a glance to Snow, who hadn't recovered from Dante's appearance-or the news of Nero's feelings.

"Hey! Keep an eye on Agnus' sidekick, and my apprentice! If my first student goes, it'll leave a bad blot on my record!"

"Hold her at bay, Alex, but don't harm her," Hope shouted to his mammoth-sized companion, who nodded in return. Ignoring the maiden's shriek, the Summon beast encased her inside of a barrier. Yuge and Maqui showed their appreciation by giving the beast a pair of smiles. Snow ran towards Nero, Gadot followed suit, and Lebreau aimed her sights on the rising Agnus. The blonde stallion and his closest friend turned to each other, faces drowning in apprehension, and then Snow swept Nero into his arms. Gunshots rang through the air, a maiden's screams had the power to shatter windows, and Nero was lost in pain. Snow gazed upon the novice hunter, his blue eyes wrapped up in anguish. "What am I going to do?" he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Things were already bad enough, right out of the gate. Now Nero was in the picture? Nero, his bodyguard, his intimate friend, his coach?

Nero?

What next?

"I'm not through with you yet," a blood-stained Agnus snarled, supporting himself by placing a hand on his knee. "There's something you don't know! I've been infused with the greatest power Hell has to offer, all thanks to your brother!"

Dante was either bored, irritated or both. "Yeah yeah yeah. I'm glad you got a wedding gift from your new husband, but what else have you got? Surely the show doens't stop here?"

"Why did you swipe Kyrie away from Nero?!" Lebreau roared, feeling intense waves of longing. Agnus' usage of the word 'infused' conjured recent memories of Nero, who had taken the life of Nalanil's corrupted king.

He too had been 'infused' with Vergil's magic.

Dante glared at her. "Don't waste your breath," the master slayer said, stern yet affectionate. "This clown swept Little Miss Songstress off her feet for a couple of reasons. One, he wanted to get back at Nero for all the monkey wrenches he threw. Two, he had to lure the Tenth Gatekeeper into some kind of sick trap, and three, this jackass will take anyone-or anything-that'll have him. The good lady Kyrie must'v been pretty desperate, which only leads to one conclusion: Nero didn't need her then, and he sure as Hell doesn't need her now!"

In a flash, he whipped around and fired off several shots in Kyrie's direction-aiming right at Kyrie herself. Shocked by her survival from Dante's attack, the maiden curdled into a sobbing heap of tears. Hope, no more than several feet away from her, gave her a look of momentary sympathy-then promptly replaced it with abundant disgust. "Sheesh," he said, face wrinkled by scorn. "And I was actually mad at Snow?"

_Stupid. Stupid stupid stupid!_

Cackling, Agnus used an opportunity to defend himself. "Kill me and lose your only gateway to the runt's heart," he shrieked. "You see, I might not have been able to open the gate, but I've won this round, because the kid sent himself to sleep!"

"What are you talking about?!"

Agnus turned to the Estheim. "He's gone, my fine friend. He wrapped himself up in cute little blankets and turned out the lights! He could have recovered, but chose not to! The true love of his life is too tangled up to care about him, his boss thinks he's annoying, the first love of his life turned on him-not too much to come back to, is there?!"

Hope wished to retaliate, but came up wordless. Snow lowered his guard, looking as if everyone around him had broken his heart. Dante stepped back and lowered his guns, Lebreau exchanged a fretful glance with Gadot-

"There! There, you see?! I'm winning," Agnus declared, thumping his chest. "You can't get to the kid without my know-how, and even if you did, he wouldn't come back! He doesn't want to come back! It's lights out for our little playboy, kiddies!"

"So you're saying he'll sleep like this, forever?!" Hope cried out, anger and sadness acting as one force. Alexandyr, at his side, released a low rumble.

"That's right, child! You don't need him, and he doesn't need any of you! After all, this world has done nothing but cause him pain, and who wants that?!"

Hope took a deep breath.

_No! Things can't stay like this! I'm not accepting this!_

At the top of his lungs, and determined to scream himself raw, the little Estheim laid his heart onto the table.

"Nero! You can't do this! I know things are hard! Life can get really hard at times, but you've got to wake up! There are a lot of good times too! We can have a lot of good times together!"

Reflecting on how much the novice impacted their lives, Snow and his teammates shared sorrowful glances. Remembering how Nero had declared himself a member of their team, they shared sorrowful glances. Remembering how Nero had inhaled Snow's breakfast and dinner, they shared sorrowful glances. "You've got to get through this," Hope continued, still going at the top of his lungs. "Please! I know what its like to be lonely, to be swallowed by hate and anger! I know what its like to drown in sorrow, but you've got to move on! I did, and you can too! I had people around me, people that cared about me, so I found the strength to move on! You've got people that care about you too! I'm one of them! You don't need Kyrie, because she never deserved you! You'll find someone that will actually love and cherish everything that you are, I know you will! I'll help you, so just WAKE UP!"

Every window shattered, all at once. Lebreau clasped a hand to her heart, watching as Hope and Alexandyr were swept into white light. Lady observed the unfolding scene as if she were a mother, watching her baby take his first steps. She was able to keep her eyes on Hope for a moment, but then the sea of light intensified, stealing her vision. Once it cleared, three newly intensified souls appeared. Gadot grinned and nudged a nearby Maqui in the ribs.

Alexandyr, Hope and Nero were as one, dressed in both crystal white and sapphire blue. Both Nero and Hope were dressed in regal garments, bearing such regality that one could have assumed them to be ancient knights of a faraway land. Alexandyr's shell had adopted a crystal white shell, while his eyes had transformed into baby blue sapphires. White and sapphire rose petals fell through the air, draping over a perfectly happy Nero and Hope. Smiling, feeling lighter than a feather, the Estheim turned to the novice slayer.

"Ready?"

The devil slayer winked. "I guess."

Alexandyr pierced the heavens with a roar that shook the earth. White light swelled beneath Hope and Nero. The two knights were in synch, unsheathing blades and raising them into the sky. After both blades gathered light, the two of them bolted towards Agnus' fallen beast. They ran in the shape of a figure eight, then dove both of their blades straight into the creature's head. Agnus, as a result, fell to his knees while clutching his heart. His final wail swept through the church halls, and waves of golden light swept two malicious beings out of existence. With rose petals still descending from the heavens, Nero and Hope smiled at each other. "Way to go," the Estheim said, eyes glittering with dew. Nero made a 'psssh' sound, rolling his eyes.

"All in a day's work. Let me ask you something, though."

"Sure," a happy Hope said, sheathing his little blade. "Anything."

"Were you hitting on me back there?"

If his life had been an anime show, Hope would have fallen over with a teardrop. "Wha-? NO! I wasn't-"

"You weren't?" the novice hunter said, sheathing his own blade. "Sure seemed like you were. You really know how to flatter a guy."

While a wide-eyed Lebreau eyed Nero's right arm, Gadot snickered. "Things are gettin' better and better," he declared, punching Maqui in the shoulder. The young Maqui beamed.

"And to think, Nero swore he'd never even like Hope, let alone have a crush on him!"

_"WAIT A MINUTE! NOBODY HAS A CRUSH ON ANYBODY!"_

"Ooo," Trish purred, sharing her smile with Lady. "Someone's defensive."

"No I'm not! Ugh!"

The small knight threw his head back and hands into the air. "Sheesh! All I wanted to do was help Nero, and I end up in this mess?! You're all jumping to conclusions," he cried, and with that, stormed off. Using two fingers to tap his heart sent Alexandyr back into his safe, eternal haven. The movement also returned his original outfit. "I'm out of here," an angry Estheim said, without turning back. Lebreau cupped her hands to her mouth.

"Where can we find you?!"

"At the tavern! I need something to eat!"

"Don't we all," a laughing Dante said, folding his arms. He turned to the group, placing most of his attention on Snow and Nero-who were on opposite ends of the spectrum, when it came to emotion.

"Why don't we leave Hope to stew in the makings of his own fairy tale, and have a little chat? From what I've seen, our pint-sized bladewielder can definitely take care of himself."


	8. Prelude to a Finale

This astounding chapter was composed to the prelude of Final Fantasy XIII, the perfect pre-finale anthem. Kinda weird, considering the song I used happens to be a prelude. XD

My latest sources of inspiration are as follows: Devil May Cry 3, Dante's character model of Devil May Cry 4, and the Sailor Moon anime series. Dante's hints towards the ending were inspired by the final story developments of DMC3, and the battle between Vergil, Arkham, Dante and Jester.

Enjoy!

**WARNING: AREN'T COMFORTABLE WITH BOY/BOY COUPLES?! OBSESSED WITH A CERTAIN COUPLE THAT ISN'T FEATURED IN THIS TALE?! DON'T LIKE NERO, DANTE, LADY OR TRISH?**

Please don't read this. I would appreciate it, and you won't waste your valuable time.

* * *

Sunshine enveloped Fortuna City as if nothing significant had taken place.

Proud, jubilant birds soared through the golden ether, sharing their songs with the mortal realm. Waters gushed out of the city's landmark, a fountain that had been carefully made out of white crystal. Children of all ages enjoyed each other's company, strolling underneath the sun with broad smiles. Invigorating gales swept through the city, lifting dreams onto silver wings.

While a little knight explored the city's tavern, his companions walked through Fortuna's sun-strewn streets. They walked about with a blanket of silence, serene yet strained. The normally talkative Dante was silent, stone-faced and pensive. Snow was a child being led to his punishment, transported by furious parents. The little group was in a tight cloud of tension, wondering where the future would take them. And how would they accept it? Would they be able to fathom acceptance of the future?

The entire group found themselves wishing for Hope's spirit.

Kyrie had been left behind without a word. Her pleas for Agnus' revival were left unheard. She was equally unresponsive to Snow, who ordered her to apologize to Nero. Luckily, the young slayer took no notice of the maiden. The memories he held of her had been completely wiped out, replaced by abundant sunshine. Without even realizing it he smiled. even as his first love sobbed for another's awakening.

Without even realizing it he smiled, much lighter than a feather. On the wings of his happiness, he could have flown to the moon.

They could have easily gone to the tavern, but Dante suggested the allowance of Hope's restoration. He was, after all, responsible for Nero's revival-but exploded as soon as the group pounced on him. Wanting to honor Hope's relaxation time, the band decided to install itself inside of Devil May Cry. The rugged, run-down shop was dubbed the temporary headquarters of Snow's team.

The sound of a creaking door was akin to a dirge. Dante closed the door behind the band, eyes sweeping through his shop but mind completely immersed in thought. Snow and the others piled in, eyes darting between one another. Nero was the only calm soul, looking as if he had confidently accepted the lead role in a play he knew nothing of. "Okay, kids," his superior said, eyeing the band with wary eyes. "We've got to get down to business. I bet you're all dying for an explanation."

Much to everyone's surprise, Snow spoke first. "We sure are," he said, conveying frustration with the usual fists. "What happened, Dante? The last time I checked, you were lost in some abyss!"

Dante was either annoyed or in distress. "I was lost in an abyss, babe," he said, approaching the blonde stallion. "See, I had everything figured out after I knocked Gibraltar's friends on their behinds. I sealed the Ninth Gate with a little bit of my blood, sent Vergil's friends packing, and wham-o. I was on my way back to the home team, but...someone kinda threw a monkey wrench into that plan."

Memories struck Snow as a thousand anvils, all at once. "The Vault," he said, earning a warm smile from Nero. Finally, Team Nora's commander was taking a stand.

"The King of Nalanil said he led you into the Vault! He told us you saw Serah, a family-"

"That's right, sweet thing," Dante said, acknowledging the distressed Snow with a toss of his head. "And that's a future I'm going to have front-row seats to."

"How did you manage to get out of there?" Lebreau asked, referring to the Vault. The master slayer threw her a smile.

"You know me. I've got the deck of a true soldier. Can't keep me down for long!"

Pushing his way past everyone and everything, Snow approached the older hunter. Sorrow, frustration and wrath were shining as one. "You say you want that future to happen, but I don't," he growled, earning not even the smallest bit of emotion from Dante. "I decide what's best for me, and I'm going to share my future with you!"

Both hunters exchanged a blank look. Dante then returned his eyes to Snow, who was boiling from a set of emotions. He said nothing for a moment, shut his eyes and then broke his silence. As he spoke, Nero kept his eyes focused on him, waiting. Watching. Observing. "Verg has his cards all out on the table," he said, voice oddly devoid of emotion. Lady and Trish exchanged a glance of apprehension, while Gadot shared a pensive glance with Yuge.

"As it turns out, he's not only the Eleventh Gatekeeper, but the head honcho of Gibraltar's Psyche. The Psyche, as you know, gave birth to every last one of the gates. Gates one to eleven were all formed by the grand master himself. The ruler of torn and tainted souls, the all-mighty Gibraltar, endowed glorious roles onto certain souls!"

"We were able to subdue gates one through eight," Gadot said, voice adopting the characteristics of a curious child. "You found a way to seal off the Ninth Gate, Dante, but what about the Tenth? Is Nero's gate over and done with?"

"I can answer that," the novice hunter said, raising a hand. Calmly, he provided the required response. "Hope, Alexandyr and I are holding it off together. Its kinda strange, and I can't really explain it, but...we're linked together. We're in synch. Together, we're holding down the fort."

"I know why Verg is the Eleventh Keeper, but I won't bore you with the details," Dante said, still devoid of any cheer. Snow peered into his face, able to catch the anguish that rushed through his gentle eyes. "My lovely brother isn't bypassing any stops. He conjured up a pot of Poppa's old stew, and is ready to dish it out to all of us."

Nero's eyes were serene. Quiet. "He summoned the power of Sparda?"

"Bingo, my beloved pupil. Oh, and for the record, I don't find you irritating."

The warmth behind Dante's voice caused the novice to smile. "We're too late," the master slayer said, face strained by pain. Lady eyed him curiously, wondering how so much pain was able to make it onto his face. "Vergil's taken over the throne, and we weren't able to stop him. I wasn't able to do a damn thing, trapped in my brother's playland."

"What are you saying?" the Villiers asked, his heart grating against the walls of fear. Dante glanced at him as if he had just entered the room.

"We're still able to kick his ass, but we're gonna have to pull out our big guns. Verg and Gibraltar aren't going to go down without a fight. And let's not forget Gibraltar's prized maiden, Serah. She's still his guest of honor."

"With all of that power, he's bound to open up every cabinet in the shop," Nero said, brown eyes piercing the horizon. "Every demon in Hell's gonna stop over at his party. My bloodlink to Sparda's faint, but I'm sure I can come up with a few party favors."

Dante turned to him, the very embodiment of warmth. Nero stepped back at the sight of his eyes, surprised by the presence of a particularly strange emotion: regret. "I've got the perfect firecracker for tonight's celebration. So we don't have too much to worry about."

A fearful Gadot looked into the devil slayer's eyes. "What's on your mind? You aren't thinking of doing anything stupid, are you?"

"Don't worry. He isn't going to pull any stunts. Not while I'm around."

Once again devoid of emotion, Dante gave a final look to a rather emotional Snow. The determination in Snow's eyes challenged him, but he turned away from the opposition without concern. Turning his back on the band, he began a departure from his own store. Nero, alarmed but still calm, followed his superior into the open. Neither hunter spoke, eyeing the golden horizon of Fortuna. The young slayer then placed a hand on Dante's shoulder.

"What's on your plate, David Copperfield? Can't expect me to assume you'll pull a rabbit out of your hat."

"I'm going with the trick to end all tricks," Dante said, keeping his eyes focused on the horizon. "Snowflake's not going to know what hit him. Same goes for the rest of his clan."

"Sure you're all right with this?" his novice asked softly, rubbing his shoulder. Dante took his hand and squeezed it, still peering into the sun-strewn horizon.

"Yeah. Nightmares eventually fade away, don't they?"

Eyes pierced with a fusion of sadness and love, Nero squeezed him by the hand. Neither of them spoke, peering into an ether they wished to fade into.


	9. Glimpse of Sunshine

Welcome to another chapter of Dawnwind! Thank you for supporting this journey. This particular chapter was written to the beautiful sounds of Final Fantasy XIII and Devil May Cry 3.

Dante says one of his momentous lines from DMC4. I wonder if you'll be able to spot it?

* * *

Dante never paid too much attention to philosophies in the past, but he held a particularly strong one close to his heart. It was translated into a million different ways, but when all was said and done, all translations came down to the same spirit. Every translation said: live like there's no tomorrow.

Distress boiled inside of him as a volcano, approaching its breaking point. He tried to untangle himself from the explosive emotion, but eventually surrendered the ability to think. Discarding his previous, listless demeanor in favor of his own security, he slathered Snow and all others in affection. Nero wasn't too comfortable with his decision to conceal everything, but supported his superior with everything he had. He had already shown his support for Dante's weighty decision, which centered around the master slayer's trump card.

Snow couldn't sense anything. His companions couldn't sense anything either. They were simply thrilled to have Dante back in their company, and equally delighted over Nero's revival. Both slayers frequently exchanged fretful glances, walking in the midst of widespread joy. The team had recovered from a long list of trials, and seemed prepared to tackle their greatest trial yet. One half of Dante's heart was thrilled, for a much-deserved ending was about to fall into the love of his life's hands. On the other hand, anguish elevated with every breath, every step.

His trump card would assure victory, but it wouldn't be a pleasant victory. Not on his end, at least.

Snow loved him, and the blonde stallion never hesitated to prove it. He had refrained from kisses and even embraces in the past, but now he was all for his own romance movie. The Villiers slathered Dante in affection, and was happy to have that affection returned. Guilt boiled inside the pit of Dante's stomach, for the master slayer was pretty much leading Snow into a false sense of security.

But oh well. Everything would be fixed in no time at all.

Not even their entrance into Gibraltar's world bothered Team Nora. Lady, Lebreau and Trish were duly excited, exchanging smiles as they took their first steps into the vast, blood-stained world of demons. Using both their bloodlinks to Sparda, and their past links to gates, Dante and Nero tore off the seal to Gibraltar's realm. In doing so, they gave their band access to the beast's dwelling. While neither slayer couldn't have cared less about the crimson red palace, the rest of Team Nora happened to be intrigued by their surroundings.

Only the soil was detached from Gibraltar's blood-red decor, but it held a faint red glow. The cold, bloodchilling ether was a piercing shade of red, devoid of clouds and other sources of life. Mountains rose into the dark skies, while plains spread out as far as the eye could see. The gales were enough to strike fear into any soul, mortal or otherwise, but not even Hope cringed in fear. Merely using his hands to hold his sides, the little Estheim spoke. His voice echoed through the infinite ether's halls.

"Not too much of a tourist attraction, huh?"

"I've seen better, munchkin," Lady said, rubbing her hands together to convey excitement. "I'm just thankful you're all able to take in the air. After all, you're all just a set of puny humans, bearing no link to a demon's world whatsoever."

"What are you?" Gadot retaliated playfully, instantly stung by the maiden's words. A smile slowly sprouted on her silken, devilish features. "I'm a lot more than you know," she purred, and as a result, flames pierced the insides of his cheeks. She then turned to Dante, her face doused in a newborn puppy's curiosity.

"What now, chief? Can you pick up Vergil's scent?"

Dante's face darkened. "He's near, and so are his party favors," the master slayer said, eyes focused on the blood-red horizon. Snow spoke next, and the silver-haired hunter didn't turn to look at him.

"Serah's with him, isn't she?! Is she all right?!"

Lady and Nero studied Dante's facial reaction. Although he didn't look at Snow, he was clearly affected by what the blonde stallion had said. Every last one of the stallion's words were daggers, and each dagger dug furiously into his heart. "Oh, she's with him, all right," he replied, keeping his eyes averted from all faces. "Can't say anything else, though. After all, she's sitting right in a frying pan."

Tremors sent future conversations into an abyss. The intensity of the tremors elevated in mere seconds, causing almost everyone to topple over. Dante caught Snow before he could hit the ground, and Nero swept Hope into his arms. The remaining members of Team Nora supported one another, even as the ground continued to rumble beneath their feet. Lebreau and Lady were separated as a volcano of white light erupted, tearing the two of them apart. Lady used her body as a shield, protecting Snow's original teammate from possible harm. "What's going on?!" the Estheim (still in Nero's arms) cried above the melee. Gadot threw him a frantic glance.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say we've stepped onto the dance floor!"

All eyes were directed to the white light volcano. Dante kept his arms wrapped about Snow's waist, eyes burrowing into a fusion of wrath and grief. A shrill cry burned his eardrums, accompanied by a fresh wave of crimson red light. "Vergil sent out a pretty big welcome committee," Maqui said, unsheathing his loyal pair of pistols.

The earth beneath their feet trembled. Screams were torn out of astonished mouths, and souls plummeted into an entirely different world. Crimson red flames scorched the eyes of every band member, as arms gripped anchors. Dante, holding onto Snow, eyed the environment as quickly as he could. He and his companions were falling through what appeared to be the Earth's core, bathing in the red flames of Hell.

Several pairs of feet struck the ground. Lungs grasped at oxygen. Hands clutched hearts, and chests heaved. Sweat boiled on the faces of mortals, while the devil slayers hurriedly scanned their landing grounds. Two particular maidens were also immune to life-draining ailments. Despite their immunity, neither Lady or Trish were thrilled with the situation. "We've got to do something," Lady said, holding onto Lebreau. Snow's teammate was trapped in a violent fit of coughing. "Mortals can't linger here! If this dance of ours takes too long, Snow and his friends will die!"

Dante winced. Her words were painful, but true. Not even Snow, the valorous stallion, could withstand the horrors of their battlefield. The master slayer rushed to the blonde's side, distressed by Snow's inability to speak-let alone breathe. "Gibraltar's realm isn't a hotspot for humans," Trish said breathlessly, evidently uncomfortable with the endangered states of friends. Gadot was in her vigilant arms, just as talkative as Snow.

"Lady and I have charms infused with your blood, Dante, but Snow's pals don't have an inch of lifegear!"

Both slayers gazed into each other's eyes, reflecting on the situation. Neither of them spoke for a moment, even as the flames of Hell roared around them. "We don't have time for arts and crafts," the younger slayer said, arms still wrapped around Hope. The Estheim had lost the ability to speak due to loss of consciousness. "Lady's right. This place doesn't have the greatest air quality, and I can hear a parade."

The next events occured in flashes. A cry pierced the air, Nero and Dante whipped their eyes over to a companion in distress, and small beasts flooded the room. Pain, despondency and determination crowded the air, emerging from the hearts of Snow's original team. Gadot had been the one to issue the cry, and was now clutching his stomach. Thick blood swelled around his abdomen, a shrieking Lebreau fought off his attackers, a screaming Snow vanished into a thick red sea-

And Dante thought. With closed eyes, Dante thought. He thought, even as his apprentice bolted into the fray.

_Looks like we're a bit late. Vergil went ahead and started the festivities, then had the gall to leave the party behind. I don't know where the bastard has gone, but one thing's certain. Serah's already gone, and her hero will be right behind her._

They were too late-much too late. Vergil had taken the opportunity to summon every last one of Gibraltar's minions, including the lost souls of every gate. Having fused Gibraltar's soul with the pure soul of Serah, he took several steps closer to achieving his goal: domination over Heaven, Earth and Hell. Serah's soul provided him with more than enough fuel to secure all gates, and call every demon to arms. After all, her little heart was overwrought with grief. She was stolen out of Snow's world. A world of light, love, laughter and dreams. She lost the strength, the will, to live in captivity.

If things were left as they were, her grief wouldn't really matter in a couple of minutes.

His eyes, although closed, swept over the vicinity. Gadot, Snow's first and closest friend, was sleeping in a hot ocean of crimson. Lebreau was fighting off predators with one arm, and a crimson stump for the other. Trish and Lady were back to back, faces overwhelmed by apprehension. Several beasts were stabbing at the Estheim's body, cackling. Hope wasn't moving, screaming, crying-

He wasn't doing anything.

And then there was Snow. Snow. Snow, Snow, Snow. Screaming, crying, heart-broken Snow. His friends were dying, falling, and Serah was gone. If he discovered her fate, he would lose the will to live. There wouldn't be anything left for him.

_So. This is the life I've given you. This is the life you've chosen._

_This is all I can give you._

_I knew you weren't playing your cards right, babe._

Eyes still shut, he tossed off his red coat. Blue light swelled underneath him, but went unnoticed. He placed his left hand over an emblem on his right hand, erasing all thoughts from his mind. Grief threatened to swallow him, but he managed to suppress it. Suppressing precious faces, smiles, and unborn kisses, he gripped the emblem until blue light swallowed him. The same light quickly consumed all of Gibraltar's world, and-

"The rest is silence."

* * *

Three weeks passed.

Doves, forever youthful, soared through silvery blue skies. The souls of Fortuna were silent, but all were lost in dreams. The streets, having been cleaned during the night, glistened underneath the proud blue ether. Children were nestled into the arms of their parents, businesses were on the verge of opening, and a silver-haired slayer was flipping through an old magazine. While he had been a past fan of the publication, its images no longer appealed to him.

A ceiling fan creaked, on its eternal merry-go-round. Two maidens were shuffling cards, and pizza boxes slept in the corners. One box slept on top of his desk, its contents ignored as he scanned scantily-clad women. He had read the same magazine a million times in the past, but...now he wasn't any different from a cat playing with a tired old toy.

"Well well well. Someone's suffering from Monday blues."

Dante laid his magazine down, bearing an eternally warm smile. "Yeah, well, it's an old issue," he said, dismissing the absence of interest. "I've gone through it already. Need something new."

"Bet you'd love an issue with him in it."

"Damn right," the master slayer said, eyes instantly drenched in his heart's grief. An ocean of anguish swept through his orbs. "I'd eat that alive. Seeing him stark-naked on fifty pages? Hot damn, sure would beat the hell out of pizza."

"Suppose the only thing he's gonna end up on now is a wedding invitation. And you won't be getting one."

"'S all right," Dante said with a wave of his hand, seemingly calm. "Weddings aren't my cup of tea anyway. And going to that particular wedding would dampen the celebration, to put it lightly. Wouldn't be surprised if Snow's sweetie busted out her artillery."

"Can't believe you pulled that card," his pupil said, smile vanishing from his face. Sadness infiltrated his heart and voice. "Sorry it came down to that. If there had been another way to end that bullcrap, I would have taken it for you."

The master slayer rose from his seat, stone-faced. "Don't sweat it. It was for the best. After all, she needs him, and he needs her. This is the way I wanted things. Everything's peachy keen."

Nero, standing as the personification of tense sadness, spoke cautiously. "Does _she_ remember anything?"

Dante was momentarily confused, but a lightbulb quickly went off in his eyes. "I kept it exclusive," he explained, raising a finger to his mouth. "Your old girlfriend's right where we left her-pining after her sugar daddy. Same goes for Vergil. I wiped Gibraltar and his pals off the face of the universe, but my beautiful little brother remembers everything. Snow and his pals are the only ones with empty heads."

A rueful smile split across the younger slayer's face. "Shame. I was fond of Hope."

"I knew it. Knew you had a crush on the squirt."

"Yeah. If he had stuck around long enough, he would have unearthed some way to reach my speed. He was out of bounds, I'm linked to the powers of Hell, he was a fireball-intense, killer combo. I'll get over my loss, though. I have to worry about you hanging yourself in the closet."

Nero received a smile in response. A verbal response died on Dante's lips, due to knocks falling upon the entrance. The eyes of the master slayer widened in alarm. Seeing the look on her superior's face, Lady cast aside her deck of cards in favor of the door. "It's nothing," she said, slowly strutting towards the door. "I've got a visitor. Nothing to fuss over."

Dante returned to his seat and retrieved his magazine, none too interested in his friend's visitor. Nero placed his hands behind his back, and began to pace around the store. The young hunter had the face of a listless cat, looking as if he'd either keel over and fall asleep, or die from boredom.

A wave of golden light flooded the room, as a result of Lady opening the door. No one spoke for what seemed like an age, and all the world was bathed in light. Lady's visitor was the first to speak, shattering the cold binds of tension.

"I found you. I found you, Dante."

A magazine fell to the floor. Eyes widened, hearts stopped, two maidens exchanged smiles, and Nero grinned. "Looks like we're back at round one," the young slayer said, walking out of Devil May Cry. A Poker game was resumed between Lady and Trish, while Dante stared upon the face of his latest customer. His customer smiled, breathless but thoroughly relieved, thoroughly happy.

Dante rose from his seat, chuckling.

"Looks like I'm getting rusty."

* * *

Yep, you guessed it. This tale has come to an end.

Thank you for your stalwart support! This has been a magical journey, from start to finish.


	10. Glimpse Version 2

Hello! Welcome back to the wonderful world of Dawnwind. I know this story has been declared 'complete', but reflecting on how much this story meant to me, and how it came to be, I knew I couldn't allow the original ending to sit. As I thought about the original ending, I noticed how short and rushed it actually was. 'Ew', I thought to myself, and thus the extended ending was born!

This year, after all, is about putting my best foot forward.

Note: This isn't a new ending. This is an extended version of the original ending.

**Warning: Boy/boy ness, Hope falling for someone that's a bit older than he is...oh, and did I mention boy/boy ness?**

* * *

Things just weren't the same.

Of course, some things hadn't changed. He still had his ferris wheel hanging from the ceiling, failing to provide any kind of cool breeze. His two co-workers were pitting their wits against each other in a game of pool, calmly handling their weapons of choice. Pizza boxes slept in the corners, only occupied by crumbs and pepperoni stains. Some things hadn't changed, but for the most part, things were unbearably different.

Flipping through the pages of a magazine, he reflected on the ever-changing spheres of his life. It had been two weeks since the downfall of Vergil's latest artwork. He had erased all memories of those present for the finale, save for the memories of his brother and his three teammates. Snow, Serah and his original comrades were the only ones cleansed of their harrowing trauma, and wouldn't be able to recall any of it if their lives depended on it. In erasing their memories, he also restored Hope Estheim's life, the life of Snow's closest friend, and Lebreau's arm. So much had been lost in the overwhelming battle against Vergil's minions, and they hadn't even been able to glance at Gibraltar.

Pages of scantily clad women no longer interested him. With a sigh, he propped his feet onto the desktop before him, listlessly flipping through lifeless pages. Devil May Cry was quiet on that day, as it had been for the last couple of days. Silencing Gibraltar and shoving Vergil off his stage might have been great for the world, but it was bad for business. In defeating the world's latest threats, Dante single-handedly defeated his own business.

Bleugh. Things couldn't have been any worse. Periodically, he wondered if Nero was bothered by his decision to erase a few sets of memories, but his young pupil showed no signs of frustration or anger. He accepted Dante's decision with a great deal of reluctance, all on Dante's behalf.

At least Nero was unbothered by losing his first admirer, Hope.

Three o'clock in the afternoon. Uncomfortable with slow, tedious environments, and equally uncomfortable with his superior's lack of energy, Nero tossed himself out of the shop. The young one was taking a stroll around Fortuna, while Dante resigned himself to tapping his desktop. A magazine was cast out of a bored customer's hands, forever fated to sleep on the floor.

Ah well. At least someone was happy. Surely he was already married, or planning the wedding. The master slayer was able to make the ending he wanted, so could he really complain?

"Hey, dreamy eyes! Pay attention!"

He returned to reality with a gasp, instantly jumping to attention. "What's up?" the master hunter asked, folding his arms. His young team mate sighed, rolling his eyes. Evidently his stroll around Fortuna had come to an end, and he felt the need to return to the shop.

"We've got a customer at the door! Has the password too. Might want to stop by and have a chat."

"All right, all right. About time we end up with a bite. Every graveyard on Earth has been more festive than this place."

Up from the chair Dante rose, heading towards the entrance of his shop. Nero observed him with a smile, plopping himself in his superior's seat. Emotionless, the master slayer opened the door to his shop, and-

His heart instantly plunged beyond the bottom of his stomach.

Snow stood several feet in front of him, breathless and ragged. The ivory white coat, the blonde bangs, the hat...it was all there, but all of it had been dragged through sleepless nights. The prisms of relief, pain and happiness danced in his blue eyes, while his heart throbbed viciously against his chest. He had obviously gone through night after night, wondering, thinking, trying to put pieces of a puzzle together.

The final piece of his puzzle stood before him.

Either time was sucked into a vacuum, he was sucked into a vacuum, or he fell onto a different dimension. In any case, he couldn't fathom what was going on. His insides were churning, his heart was boiling in a pit of fire-

"Dante."

What to say? What to do? How could he even breathe? He thought he had taken care of Snow! He should be happily married to Serah, off romping through the fields of flowery, matrimony bliss!

"You're here. So glad you're here."

"Yeah, but what are you doing here? Where's Little Miss Villiers? A little too early for an affair, isn't it?"

Snow smiled. The beautiful, kind-hearted Snow smiled. "I already told you," he said, his voice weary yet full of warmth. "I love you. You're the one I love. Serah's my friend. My sister."

Something new and strange blossomed inside of Dante's heart, and over his face. It was in the form of scalding hot, crimson red flames, and it was commonly known as-

"What happened? How did you-"

The blonde stallion chuckled, eyes twinkling the light of the moon. "I knew things weren't right," he said, his voice filled with regret and relief. "I knew my life was missing a few pieces, one particularly big piece. Every minute of my life, I tried so hard to recapture those pieces. I let Serah in on everything, too. We spent every minute trying to figure out what had happened, what I had lost. Then, all of a sudden, everything returned to me. And I ended up here."

Dante just stared. He stared at the panting, overjoyed Snow. He stared at the one that had worked so hard, so diligently, to recover their memories. Snow just smiled at him, eyes singing of rapture. He set out to accomplish a mission, and that mission had been accomplished.

He had found the missing piece to his heart.

"She wants to meet you," the Villiers said breathlessly, chest heaving. "She can't wait to meet you. The whole gang's with me, as a matter of fact. I set them all up at a hotel."

Dante tilted his head inquisitively. "So they're all back in the ring too?"

"That's right," Snow said, nodding. "Hope can't wait to see Nero again."

"Wow," the master slayer said, rubbing his chin. "Kinky. The kid's a small fry, but he's already got his game on. The two of them will make a pretty impressive picture, walking down the street."

Chuckles bloomed between the two of them, bright and bubbling with sunshine. "They'll be just fine," the blonde stallion said, beaming. "The only problem I see is Hope's father, but the guy's sweeter than apple pie."

"Really? That's funny. That's how I always saw you."

For a moment in time, silence burst into a golden field of flowers. A blushing Snow smiled at a beaming Dante, overflowing with the greatest joy. "You know," the Villiers said. "things wouldn't have been this difficult if you had just listened to me."

"I listened to you, all right. I just wanted you to change your tune. My life isn't exactly a tea party, babe."

"And neither is mine. But if I can share my life with you, I'll be all right. We'll be all right."

The devil slayer wrapped his arms around the other. "Don't say I didn't warn you," he said, his voice warm and velvety. Sunshine erupted inside of him as Snow completed their embrace.

"I'm not going to say anything," the Villiers said, his voice dropping to a sweet murmur. Their faces met, their noses touched, and then, for the very first time, their lips met. The two men melted into each other for a glorious, sun-strewn age, caressing and glowing underneath a newborn sky. Ten minutes passed before they broke out of their first round of kissing. Snow spoke with the brightest, warmest smile.

"I reserved a suite."

"Aw, babe," Dante said, face falling. "what a waste. Why did you reserve such a huge room for us, when all we're going to look at is the ceiling?"

"It'll make everything much more special," Snow purred. hands cupping the other male's face. Not another word was shared between the two of them.

After all, no one could speak while their mouth was entangled in kisses.


End file.
